Rules Of The Pack
by SGZM
Summary: Something is different about about the town of Mesa. Most of its population are werewolves. What happens when Mo and Olivia discover a hidden side of Stella? Response to ohsnapitsraven's Story Challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**OLIVIA'S POV**

"Do you know how many stereotypes there are about werewolves?" Stella shouted angrily. Lemonade Mouth walked out of the movie theater, into the cold chilly air, with the rest of the crowd. Since it was our last day of winter break and school was in session tomorrow, the 6 of us decided to head to the movies tonight. We had just finished watching a "scary" movie which turned out to be pretty boring.

It was about a woman who fell in love with a monster, a werewolf. He was a normal person on the outside but beyond that, he was a killer. Every full moon he would shift into a beast and murder anyone who got in his way. The movie seemed pointless to me, because in the end the werewolf is killed by a silver bullet by the woman's brother, who just _happens _to be a supernatural detective.

"Why does it matter Stell? It's just a movie." Mo reminded her. Scott had his arm draped over her shoulders while she finished the leftover popcorn. There was still a lot left considering you'd normally eat it if you're entertained in a theater. None of us were.

"So? People act like werewolves are just heartless killers! They have feelings too!" Stella fumed. Wen snorted as he walked beside me. "She acts like they're real…" He murmured almost inaudible. "I heard that!" Stella exclaimed. Wen looked back at her as he rolled his eyes. "How could you have heard that? I barely heard it and I'm right next to him." I asked skeptically.

Scott looked at me. "You know she can hear like a hawk." He stated. I shook my head in disbelief. How could anyone hear that well? Stella sighed as we entered the parking lot. "I can't wait until they make a movie where the werewolves are the _good_ guys." She announced.

"Werewolves won't ever be good," Charlie declared. "I mean you can't be part wolf and not be bad." he explained. "Wolves are too wild and unpredictable, especially if you mix it with a human." he told us. Wrong thing to say Charlie. Scott's arm dropped from Mo's shoulders as the whole group stopped walking. Stella glared at Charlie her fists clenching and her nostrils flaring.

"Why don't you pretend to be a werewolf. What if people judged you because of stupid movies that are fake and unrealistic? How would that make _you _feel?" They rest of us waited as Charlie hesitated to answer.

"That's what I thought, Delgado." Stella said through gritted teeth. She turned and started walking again. The rest of us jogged to catch up with her. "Stella, I don't get what the big deal is." I admitted. Why did she always act like this when we watched werewolf based movies?

Stella shook her head flustered "The big deal is that, why do people think werewolves only change during a full moon? Or where did the whole 'only a silver bullet can kill them' thing come from? Or even-"

"Stella!" Scott interrupted silencing her. She looked at him and quickly looked away. "What I'm trying to say is that I think people have all their facts wrong." She said. Mo looked at her like she was crazy. "They aren't even real Stella!" she cut in. "Yeah." Wen agreed. "And even if they were then they probably would be hard to control." Charlie added.

We got to the car and we all got in. It was a relief to escape the freezing air. Scott was driving and Stella was in the passenger seat, with the rest of us in the back. Stella leaned her head back as she accepted defeat. "Yeah whatever, I'm overreacting again." She surrendered. Scott started the car and drove down the street going towards Stella's house first.

We all sat in silence, the tension from the argument lingering. After 10 minutes Scott pulled along side the tree line that surrounded Stella's house. She opened the door and we all said our good-byes. Stella shut the door and walked off into the darkness. "Should we make sure she gets home?" I asked.

"No, she'll be fine." Scott assured already turning back onto the road. His voice didn't show a hint of worry. Mo climbed over and got into the passenger seat, giving us all more room. "So why do you guys think she got all worked up?" Charlie asked. I saw Scott tense up but it relaxed quickly. What was up with _him_ now?

"I have no idea." Mo said putting her hand on her forehead. "But I don't think we should ever watch a werewolf movie with her again." she stated. Scott's jaw clenched. "I don't think we should watch them anyway. They're always so depressing in the end." Wen pointed out. I nodded. "Yeah it seems the werewolf never gets the girl." I agreed.

Scott glanced over at Mo. "Yup and then they die." Charlie finished. Suddenly Scott slammed on the brakes and we all skidded to a rushing halt. We waited in stunned silence for a moment. "Sorry. I almost missed Olivia's stop." Scott explained. I nodded quickly and jumped out of the car saying quick good-byes. I walked into my house and I heard Scott's car drive off in the distance.

I ran upstairs into my room and changed into my pajama's quickly. I walked out of the bathroom and slumped onto the bed. Something was up. I could tell by how jittery Scott was. And why was Stella so upset over a stupid movie? I have no idea how, but I WILL find out.

**MO'S POV**

The next morning:

I woke up to the beeping of my alarm. 6:00 A.M. Ugh. School. I dragged myself out of bed and went into the bathroom. I got the shower and relaxed as the warm water soothed my stress. We had a huge test today to review all the stuff we had gone over in U.S History before winter break.

Stella, Olivia and I, had practically studied our hearts out. This test was worth 30% of our overall grade! For those of you who don't know what I mean when I say that: If we screw up this test, we basically fail the class. Believe it or not, Stella is the one who was so freaked by this test. U.S History isn't her strongest subject. Yesterday at the theater was probably the first time she forgot about that test. Even on Christmas Day she mentioned it once or twice!

Of course the only thing that _could _distract her would be a stupid werewolf movie. If I remember correctly, the only werewolf movie she ever did like was Twilight. She thought that the movie was much more practical and understandable. You want to know what's practical and understandable to me? Definitely NOT Stella!

I got out of the shower and changed into my black denim jeans and my bright blue blouse. I brushed my teeth and left my hair straight. I fumbled with my shoes and socks as I rand down the stairs. I glanced at the clock. 6:27 A.M. I ran into the kitchen and sat down at the table. I slipped on my shoes when my Mother came into the room.

"Morning, Monu." She greeted. "Morning, Mama." I replied. I grabbed my school work spread across the table, put it in my folder and into my backpack. "Are you prepared for that test today?" She asked, making some coffee. I smiled confidently. "The band and I studied forever!" I assured her. She nodded approvingly. "Good. Baba will be proud." She stated warmly. I smiled as I zipped up my jacket.

Suddenly my watch beeped. "Oh, I gotta go!" I ran over and hugged her, before running and grabbing my backpack on the way out. The crisp wind hit me as I shivered. I walked hurriedly towards the school. Mesa was a pretty small place. Mostly covered with vast forests and woodland. The school was only down the street, so I arrived quickly. I made my way onto the campus and went down to the music room in the basement, where the band and I normally hang out before the bell rings.

I opened the door to the detention room and I saw Stella sitting at one of the desks. Her History book was opened up in front of her. Her face was covered by her jacket hood and her head was propped up on her elbow. I sat in the desk across from her. "Hey, get any studying done?" I asked amused. No reply. I examined her for a moment "Stella?" I said worried. She still didn't answer. "Stella!" I exclaimed hitting her arm to get her attention.

Her arm dropped and her head hit the desk with a thud. "Ow…" She complained sleepily. Her head was flat on the desk and I pulled the hood away from her face. A long scratch trailed from her left cheekbone all the way up to her temple. "Stella! What happened to you?" I yelled. Her eyes didn't open. "Walking home last night…branch hit me…no big deal." She muttered yawning.

"Why are you still sleeping?" I demanded. "I…am…not…sleeping…" Her voice trailed off. I took her book off the desk and slammed it on the wood, creating a loud echoing smash. Stella jolted up right covering her ears. "How are you supposed to take that test like this?" I shouted.

Stella glared at me. Her eyes were bloodshot badly. "How much sleep did you get last night?" I asked. "None." She stated relaxing again. My mouth dropped. "Of all days, why did you pick today to do this?" I groaned.

Olivia and Wen walked in the room at that moment and Olivia stopped mid-sentence. "Stella, what happened to your face?" Olivia exclaimed rushing forward and examining the scratch. "A branch." She answered yawning again.

"A branch? Stella, it looks like something clawed you!" Wen pointed out standing beside Olivia. I studied the scratch for a moment. Wen was right. It was a pretty deep cut, and it looked fresh. But the way it curved toward her cheek bone at the bottom, looked like a slice. As if someone hit her.

Charlie entered the room, twirling his drumsticks as he joined our group. "Hey, guys. What's going-" His gaze rested on Stella. "Whoa! What happened to you?" He exclaimed surprised. Stella rested her head on the desk again clearly annoyed. "It was just a branch! It's not that big of a-"

She choked on her words as she saw Scott walk through the door. His eyes widened with relief as his eyes met hers, but it disappeared as soon as it had come. "Stella? What did that to you?" He asked worriedly. "A-A branch." She stuttered. What was up with them? I don't think I've ever seen Stella so flustered before.

Scott nodded in understanding. Didn't this seem too…casual? Why was he completely fine about Stella supposedly getting hit with a branch? Suddenly the bell rang. Stella and Scott simultaneously covered their ears in alarm. "C'mon. We're gonna be late." Wen said walking towards the door. I looked back at Scott as Charlie and Olivia followed Wen. "I'll catch up with you guys later." He said meeting my gaze as Stella packed up her history stuff.

I nodded and followed everyone out. As soon as the door shut I grabbed Olivia's arm and pulled her back. Wen and Charlie continued walking to the elevator and disappeared around the corner. "Liv, something's going on with the two of them." I stated pointing at the detention room. Olivia smiled. "I'm way ahead of you." She announced walking up to the door and looking through the window. We could hear their voices clearly through the glass. Luck was on our side today.

"Stella you _know _he's never alone out there! I was worried sick!" Scott was saying. Stella stood up defensively, all her weariness from before gone. "I was this close Scott." She told him. "And then next thing I know, my jaw is throbbing and I'm running through the forest trying to pick up the trail again!" She said frustrated, gesturing at her injury.

Scott grabbed her chin gently and turned it to look at the scratch. "Peter?" He guessed. She nodded. "He was downwind so he had the advantage." Stella explained. She sighed. "God, I'm so stupid! I should've checked the scent. He knew I was coming before I even knew where I was going!" She yelled ashamed.

"Hey, don't blame yourself." Scott comforted her. He put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get him, but we have to do it _together_." Stella shook her head stubbornly. "You don't get it Scott." She hesitated a moment. "Peter told me that tonight he'd be vulnerable."

Determination shined in Scott's eyes. "Then I'll meet you tonight in the forest, by your place." Stella nodded. They walked towards the door. Olivia and I ran down the hallway and into the elevator before they could spot us. So many questions ran through my mind.

Who was this person they were referring to? Who is Peter? Why were they in the forest in the middle of the night? What really caused Stella's accident? Was something going on between the two of them? No. Stella wouldn't do that to me. Olivia and I stood in silence as we relived everything we just heard. The elevator opened and we stepped out and headed to our first period class. Olivia smiled at me. "We're following them tonight aren't we." It wasn't a question. I smiled back. "You know it."

**OLIVIA'S POV**

That Night:

Adrenaline rushed through my body as I ran to Stella's house. Mo and I are going to meet up across the street and wait for Stella to leave. I was pumped. After 6 hours of boring tests, I was ready for excitement. I hated lying to the guys, though. Especially Wen. But, Stella was my best friend and something was seriously wrong.

The crisp night air chilled my bones as I picked up speed. I could see Stella's house clearly now. I crossed the street and waited for Mo. It wasn't long before we met up. "Hey, has Stella left yet?" she asked. I shook my head. "Not since I've been here." I answered. Mo glanced at her watch, rolling up her jacket sleeve. "It's already 9. Maybe she left before we got here." Mo suggested.

"Let's go look." I offered, running across the road. Stella's house was completely surrounded by a thick tree line, except from the front view. So she had no backyard, just utter forest. I walked around the side of the house and looked around. Noting out of the ordinary. Mo followed behind me.

"Hey look!" Mo said pointing at the ground. Through the moonlight, I could faintly see a footprint. Actually, it was a _trail_ of footprints. They all led into the woods. My heart dropped. "She left already." I stated. Mo shook her head. "We have to go after her." Mo proclaimed. As much as my danger alarm was going off in my head, I agreed with her. We couldn't let Stella be wandering around the forest at night all alone.

I nodded and the two of us slowly entered the point of no return. Instantly the canopy of the trees dropped the temperature by like 6 degrees. I shivered but walked on. I stared at the ground trying to follow the path of footsteps Stella left behind. With the moon being blocked out, there was no light to give us guidance. Mo dug around in her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. The light illuminated the air around us and she aimed it down at the footprints.

We walked for 20 minutes in silence, the noises of the forest making me uneasy. We walked out into a clearing. The path stopped. Mo and I looked around. To our right, was more trees and to the left, the ground sloped downward creating a hilltop view. I walked to the edge and looked down. It was about a 40 foot fall, but the way it was slanted made didn't make it straight down. A few trees sprouted out at the same angle the incline created. At the bottom a small creek, only about 2 feet wide, trailed off both ways out into the rest of the forest.

"It's no use. The path ends and Stella isn't here." I announced as Mo joined me at the edge of the ravine. "Stella's not here, but I am." I swerved around and almost slipped off the hill as a voice startled me from behind. My voice hitched in my throat and I grabbed Mo's arm as I saw the smirking face of Ray Beech standing in the center of the clearing.

He had his arms crossed over his chest as he examined us curiously. "What are you doing here Beech?" Mo hissed. He snickered. "The same thing your doing, looking for Stella." He answered plainly. Confusion welled up inside me. Why would he be looking for Stella? "Of course, I think we all want to find her for different reasons." Ray added taking a step closer.

Mo and I backed up a step and I felt the heel of my foot slip off the edge. There was no where to go now. I felt intimidated by Ray for once. There was a new edge to him. I don't now how to explain it. I swallowed. "You know it's a beautiful full moon tonight." Ray told us randomly. What was he getting at? "And I hear there are a lot of _wolves_ inhabiting this place."

Suddenly I heard rustling in the trees behind him. Two pairs of eyes appeared on either side of him. One pair a bright green, the other a musty blue. The eyes stepped out of the undergrowth and my heart raced as two humongous wolves appeared visible in the moonlight of the clearing. Mo tensed beside me. They were at eye level with Ray and growling deeply, just watching us. They stopped next to Ray almost as if he was commanding them.

Green Eyes on the left, was a russet brown wolf with black tipped ears. It's eyes were silted glaring at me. Blue Eyes on the right, was a cloudy gray wolf with small specks of white and black covering it's pelt. It stood defensively gazing at Mo. It was like they were targeting us. As terrified as I felt right now, I had to admit they were beautiful.

Ray smiled. "It's been a while since we've had an addition to our family huh boys?" He asked. Was he talking to the wolves? Both of the wolves flicked their ears in response. "I've been trying to get people to join, but at this rate we'll just have to make them ourselves." Ray declared sadly. He smirked again. "I wonder how Lemonade Mouth will do without their lead singer and bassist." The wolves took a step forward and my heart stopped.

Whatever was about to happen next was completely brought to a halt. A giant wolf leaped in front of me and Mo from the left tree line, snarling and growling angrily. Mo and I almost fell over the hill again in amazement. The wolf almost completely blocked our view of Ray from how tall it stood on all fours. It's back lowered and it's ears lay flat on it's head as the wolf stood defensively around us.

If I thought the other two wolves looked intimidating, try this one. I couldn't see it's face because it's back was to us horizontally. It's pelt was so dark brown it almost looked black. But you could see the mixed shades of tan and yellow blended into it's fur. It's ears, paws, and tail were completely covered a in bleach white color.

Ray smiled. "Well, look who we have here." He said coldly. Surprisingly both wolves on either side of Ray started backing up as if they were scared. The wolf in front of us snarled again and the hairs on it's back pricked up. "You know, I wouldn't have had to drag them into this if you had made a deal with me." Ray defended. Who was he talking to?

Instead of eye level now, the wolf inbetween Ray and us now came up to my stomach from how lowered it was. This wolf must be _pissed_ off. It's ears stay lay flat on its head as it continued growling at Ray. How was he not phased by this? I for one, am gonna be having nightmares for a while! My heart still hammered in my chest from the shock. How can wolves be this big? And what connection did Ray even have with them?

"You shouldn't be making threats that you can't back up." Ray stated. Our Wolf barked loudly and snarled again in response. Ray's smile faltered. "Don't make me be the one to tell them what you are…" Ray trailed off looking at us. Our Wolf hesitated a moment. Suddenly, Blue Eyes ran forward. I felt the wind rush out of me as Our Wolf slammed into me and Mo, pushing us to the right. I landed with a grunt on the ground and I sat up in surprise.

Blue Eyes slammed into Our Wolf, running at full speed, and my heart dropped again as Our Wolf fell over the edge of the hill. I crawled to the edge and Mo followed. I watched in horror as Our Wolf rolled down the rocky incline. I winced each time it slammed into a tree or boulder. I stopped breathing suddenly. Because, I watched as the figure rolling down that hill _changed_. Paws into hands and feet. Fur into clothes. I wasn't watching a wolf rolling and slamming into everything in its path anymore. The figure made one final impact before landing on it's stomach, with a splash into the creek below.

My mouth dropped and I felt my eyes watering. Mo gasped and grasped my arm. The limp body laying in that creek was Stella Yamada.


	2. Chapter 2

**MO'S POV**

Shock froze my breathing as I tried to comprehend what I just saw. That wolf was…_Stella_? How is that even possible? Another horrifying question popped into my head as I gazed, flabbergasted, at her 40 feet below us. Was she dead? I felt tears in my eyes. How many things did she ram into? A lot. My heart thumped wildly in my chest. "Oh, my God…" I heard Olivia mutter, her voice cracking.

I slowly stood up, my gaze never leaving Stella's motionless figure. I glanced at Ray and then at the Gray wolf whom had knocked Stella over the edge. Ray turned his gaze at us. He smiled evilly as Olivia stood up beside me. "Get th-" Ray stopped mid-sentence as a howl echoed through the forest. If I could hear howls correctly, it sounded angry. Ray nodded at the two wolves and they bolted back into the trees as he examined us dangerously. "Watch your backs. Stella won't always be able to save you." With that he disappeared after the wolves into the woods.

The moment he was gone I gazed over the edge of the ravine and looked at Stella once more. She still hadn't moved. "Come on." I told Olivia urgently. I stumbled and slid down the hill with Olivia following clumsily behind me. I made one final jump before making a small splash in the creek. The water level only came up to my ankles. I heard Olivia running behind me as I ran over to Stella.

I slid onto the floor beside Stella, and Olivia did the same on the other side. We both ignored how our pants were beginning to absorb the ice cold water. The two of us rolled Stella onto her back and looked her over. Her hair was plastered around her face from the water and I moved it out of her eyes. They were closed, but I saw the rise and fall of her chest. I felt relief rush through me. She was just unconscious. She was in sweatpants and a plain white tank top which were now completely wet. Why wasn't she wearing a jacket in this weather? Well she did have, uh…fur. I'm pretty sure she wasn't planning on getting soaked in freezing cold water.

When we changed her position in the water, I noticed red staining the liquid around her. There was a deep gash on her right side, below her rib cage and I lifted her shirt a little to look at how bad it was. It wasn't a cut, but more like a stab. I covered my mouth and took a deep breath. It seemed it should've been bleeding out more than it was, but it's a good thing it wasn't. Olivia lifted Stella's left arm and turned it towards me. A long slice trailed down her arm. It wasn't as deep as the gash on her stomach, thank God! "We have to get her out of here!" Olivia exclaimed. I nodded and stood up. I wrapped my arms under Stella's shoulders and dragged her out of the water, onto the shore.

I froze as I heard a twig snap behind me. Olivia looked over and her eyes widened as she glanced over my shoulder. "M-Mo…" Olivia stuttered pointing behind me. I turned around slowly. Another huge wolf stood watching us. It's pelt was dark brown, the tips of all it's fur were a cream-ish, almost blonde color. It's paws were jet black, with tuffs of white sprouting around it's sheathed claws. It had blazing green eyes that looked as though they were glowing. Honestly, it was a pretty cute wolf. It walked towards us and I held my ground. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice shaking. If Stella was one of these wolves, that means they were all humans too.

The wolf blinked it's eyes and came closer. It was feet away now but it didn't look threatening. I watched it closely as it walked past me and over to Stella. It's head lowered and it sniffed her gently. "Scott…" Stella breathed. Her head turned and she went silent again, her eyes never opening. My mouth dropped. Scott? My boyfriend was a wolf? He's kept this a secret this whole time? He lied to me…

I walked up beside him. He gazed at me with those intelligent green eyes. They were the same eyes that warmed my heart every time I saw them. "Scott?" I whispered. The wolf bowed his head in confirmation. Olivia came up. "Can you help her?" Olivia asked, throwing a worried glance at Stella. Scott lowered his back and settled next to Stella. Olivia gestured me to come with her, as she understood what Scott wanted.

"Here, Mo. Help me." Olivia instructed, lifting Stella's upper body off the ground. I grabbed Stella's legs and we placed her over Scott's back. She mumbled in her sleep as we turned her on her stomach gently, so she wouldn't fall off. Scott straightened up and as close to human like as possible, motioned for us to follow him. He trotted upstream, the way we came from. Olivia and I followed in silence as we jogged through the woods, careful not to trip. I still had difficulty understanding what was going on.

How long have Scott and Stella been keeping this from us? How are they even…wolves? Then it hit me. _Werewolves_. Scott and Stella are werewolves.

**STELLA'S POV**

30 Minutes Earlier

I waited outside for Scott impatiently pacing out in the woods. We needed to get going if we were gonna catch Ray in time. How far away from my house was I? Maybe a kilometer. I'm sure he could pick up my sent, he's done it a million times before. I looked up at the sky. It was already 9. I should probably go find him myself. I ran back towards my house on my own _two _legs. It felt nice just running human like out here. Either way I didn't want to waste my energy, phasing for no reason. I needed to reserve all the strength I had for confronting Ray.

I arrived at my house quickly as my irritation grew. Where was he? Maybe he came here earlier. I looked down and saw footprints. They weren't mine. I breathed in the air. Cats? Tea? Since when were there…Oh no. I looked closer as my heart thumped faster. Two sets of footprints. Both leading off where I had gone earlier. Cats and Tea?. Olivia and Mo!

I bolted into the woods using the air as my guide. It's a good thing I was downwind. I stopped dead in my tracks. Another scent. An unmistakable smell following these same footprints, Ray. Anger registered in my brain as I followed the trail more urgently.

I leaped over a log and instead of landing on two legs, I landed on four. _If Ray touches them…_A growl emanated from my throat as I felt myself running faster and faster. The scent growing stronger and my anger drowning out my reason. All I saw was red, all I felt was hate as I heard the rhythmic thumping of my paws on the ground. I heard voices. Subconsciously, I felt my claws unsheathe as a recognized them.

"I wonder how Lemonade Mouth will do without their lead singer and bassist." _That does it! _I took a leap of faith and threw myself out of the tree line, landing right in front of Mo and Olivia. I heard their pulses racing and I could feel their fear as though it were my own. If it were possible my frustration level went even higher. I snarled and growled, my hackles raised and my fur bristling. I don't even care that I'm out numbered.

My attention never left Ray as I recognized immediately who I was up against. _Brown pelt, black tipped ears, green eyes…Kyle. _I snarled again. Kyle backed away. I glanced towards the other wolf. _Gray, spotted fur, blue eyes…Nick._ I growled at him too and he retreated as well. My anger almost unbearable now, I watched Ray my ears flat, defensively protecting my best friends.

"Well, look who we have here." Ray stated smirking. I growled again. _The nerve of him!_ "You know, I wouldn't have had to drag them into this if you had made a deal with me." Ray explained innocently. I lowered even more, snarling as I got into a pouncing position. "You shouldn't be making threats that you can't back up." Ray instructed knowing my move. I couldn't control it any longer. I barked loudly and prepared to rip his throat out. "Don't make me be the one to tell them what you are…" My motive completely left my mind. _He wouldn't dare. _

I saw Nick lower to the floor, glaring at my best friends. _No! _I turned and shoved Mo and Olivia sideways before feeling the wind knocked out of me. Suddenly the ground fell below me and I felt myself rolling. My back hit a tree as I struggled to stop myself. I put my paw out to grab something, anything! _Slice!_ Pain raced down my arm and I struggled to comprehend where I was rolling to. _Slam!_ My stomach hit a jutted rock and I felt the edge penetrate my skin. I tried to scream out and I felt myself phasing back. _Bang!_ My head hit another rock and I felt a cool sensation take over, as I left the pain behind and drifted into darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

**STELLA'S POV**

A Year Before

I shifted uncomfortably at the dinning room table as the family meeting started. "What's going on Mom?" Timmy asked messing with a little toy truck. My Dad took a deep breath. "We're moving to Rhode Island!" He said enthusiastically. My Mom and him beamed as Timmy and Andrew smiled excitedly. My heart stopped. "You're joking right?" I said quizzically. My parents gazes lowered. "No, honey, I've been offered a job in the science branch there. It's official!." My Mom explained smiling.

Anger bubbled up in me. "You didn't even think to ask us what _we_ thought?" I exclaimed sadly. My parents exchanged a glance. "It would be better for all of us if we-" My Dad started. "Better for us or better for YOU?" I yelled at him in frustration. I stormed out of the room. "Stella!" My Mom shouted and grabbed my arm stopping me.

I didn't give her a chance to explain. "What about all our friends and family?" I exclaimed as my anger grew by the second. My Mom looked at me hesitantly. "But, I guess that doesn't matter does it?" I said coldly. With that I yanked my arm free and ran out the front door. Cold rain plastered me the moment I stepped outside. I heard them screaming my name, but I didn't slow down as I bolted into the forest to escape.

I felt weird. My anger was reaching a level I've never been to before. I wanted to scream all the hate out of me. I wanted to _kill_ something. My speed picked up and suddenly I tripped and fell. It wasn't because I lost my balance, but because I strangely had four legs. _What the hell? _ I looked around my body as fear crept through me. I was covered in fur! I looked down into a puddle and saw a wolf gazing back at me. I jumped back in alarm and the reflection copied my action. _Was that me? What happened to me! _

I felt my anger creeping back almost worst then before. _Who cares?_ I jumped back up and quickly started running through the rain again. It wasn't that hard to run like this. My legs went faster as well as my pulse. With each step, my anger grew, consuming me. And I welcomed it eagerly. I felt so powerful and strong, as though the hate brought me life, and it was the only thing that mattered.

I hate how they leave me out! I ran deeper into the forest, panting, but the anger drove me forward.

I hate how they ignore me! I felt the burn of the full moon through the trees. I felt myself soaking it up like a sponge, adding the adrenaline to my fire of hate.

I hate their decision!The rain soaked my pelt making it slick and shiny. It made me feel limber and strong. That sensation of adrenaline continued to grow as well as my frustration, building and building. I felt like I was about to explode.

I hate when they don't listen! I continued running. I felt myself climbing upward on a cliff surface. I don't even care where I'm going! I just want to get away! I heard growling come from my throat as the anger burned worse , threatening to destroy me. I needed to let it out. NOW. My heart beat wildly and unevenly as I made it to the top of the cliff. I looked down into the city of Arizona that I was soon to be leaving behind. The anger rose in my chest trying to consume everything.

I HATE MY PARENTS!I threw my head up to the sky and let out a mournful howl. The moon, feeling closer than ever, seemed to take back everything it had given me. All the anger and hate turned into sadness and loss. I thought of all my friends I'd have to leave behind. All the places, I've grown up with…gone. All the people I've cherished for so long…gone.

I stood under the caring gaze of the Moon all night, howling away my sorrows. The Moon was always there when you needed it. That night, I needed it more than ever.

2 Weeks Later

"Stella, you have to be able to control it." My Dad explained. I took a deep breath as I concentrated on one thing: Phase. That word echoed through my head over and over. Phase. Phase. Phase. I felt myself changing. And before I knew it, I was on all fours, covered in fur. My Dad beamed. "Great job, Stell!" He exclaimed proudly.

He looked at me seriously. "Listen, when you phase, it can't be because of how angry you are like the first time." He paused before continuing. "If your angry and you phase, you won't be able to control _anything._ Your lucky you found a way to release it, or else you would've gone on a rampage." I changed back and he nodded approvingly.

"We're done for the day." He started walking back up to our new house, when he hesitated. "Stella, promise me you'll be careful. Since it skipped my generation, if you're ever in danger, I won't be able to help." I'm glad he was being honest and I nodded in understanding. I heard a car door shut from the front yard. "Make sure she doesn't ever find out." Dad said sternly as we recognized it was Mom. I nodded again making my way into the house. I collapsed on my bed in my new room, thinking of the horrible first day of school I was going to have tomorrow.

Day Of The Halloween Bash 

I sighed in relief as the final bell rang and school was dismissed. We needed to set up in the gym for tonight. The band and I were supposed to meet there right after school and discuss the sound check with Lyle. I was walking through the hallway, when I heard sobs coming from the girls room. I pushed the door open cautiously and I walked in. I saw Mo sitting in the back corner of the bathroom crying.

"Mo?" I exclaimed surprised. I dropped my backpack and ran over to her. "Mo, what happened?" I asked worried as I sat beside her and hugged her. She sniffled a few times. "S-Scott cheated on me…" Her voice trailed off as she cried into my shoulder and I held her tightly. Scott? As in Scott Pickett? She talked about him often and I'd seen him around school, but I've never actually met him. "Why would he do that?" I asked unable to hide the anger in my voice. I felt her shrug sadly. My heart quickened as my anger grew. Scott Pickett just made the biggest mistake of his life.

"Listen Mo, go meet up with the band in the gym and tonight, after we rock the hell out of the crowd, we'll have a girls night okay?" I encouraged her gently. I saw her smile slightly through her tears. "That sounds awesome. Thank you Stella." She stated hugging me tighter. I breathed in deeply and got every scent I could detect. We stood up and walked out of the bathroom together. "Oh, I forgot to get my book out of my locker, I'll meet up with you in a few minutes at the gym." I lied. Mo nodded and walked off to prepare the Halloween Bash.

I turned around my fists clenching and my heart pounding. The hallways were empty. I threw my backpack against the lockers in frustration as I bolted through the school, following the same scent I detected on Mo. Grass and cologne. Typical for soccer jerks_. _It took all of my will NOT to phase right here and now, but somehow I kept it in, chasing down Scott.

I ran around a corner and slowed down as I realized where the trail was leading me: The Soccer Field. They had practice today. Of course Mudslide Crush would have practice today, and make all of us set up the Bash! I felt the anger growing and I turned quickly and slammed my fist into a locker, creating a huge dent. I felt no pain as I kept clenching my fists and breathing deeply to retain the last of my control. As I stood there, I heard something. The sound of a door opening.

I ran into the nearest classroom and hid as I heard two voices arguing. "I'm done with this Ray! I quit your pack!" One of the voices yelled. I peaked out the door window and saw none other than Scott himself. He wasn't in his soccer uniform, but Ray Beech was as he followed Scott down the hallway. My heart beat faster as I struggled to understand what he was talking about.

"What do you mean you quit?" Ray boomed at Scott. Scott turned on his heel and faced him intensely. "What your doing is wrong! And because of you, I lost Mo! I'm a natural born, you can't control me! I joined your pack willingly, and now I'm leaving it the same way!" Scott shouted. Ray looked taken aback as he watched Scott stomp off. Pack? Where they werewolves like me?

"The Hunters will kill you off without me!" Ray yelled trying to make him come back. Scott didn't hesitate as he walked out of the school and towards the parking lot. Hunters? I needed to know what they were talking about. Ray stormed off in the opposite direction as I sneaked out to follow Scott. I pushed open the exit doors and ran after him. The parking lot was completely deserted. I looked around frantically. Where did he go?

Suddenly I felt someone grab my arm and yank me backwards. I spun around as I found myself pinned against the wall by Scott Pickett. I breathed in sharply as he stepped closer his hands holding my arms securely to the wall, making it impossible to get away. "What are you doing here Stella?" He questioned angrily. I looked up at him. My heart fluttered for just a moment as it seemed everything Mo described him as was true. Charming green eyes, muscular and strong, shinning brown hair… I struggled against him trying to break free.

"Let. Go." I hissed my temper about to burst. He gripped me tighter and I couldn't help but gasp as he came even closer, our bodies brushing. "Your one of _them_ aren't you?" He spat. I gazed at him confused. "O-One of what?" I stuttered. Did he mean werewolf? "Don't play dumb with me Stella!" He commanded angrily. This was getting us nowhere. My anger built up as I remembered what I came here for. "Listen Pickett, I only followed you because you cheated on Mo!" I accused matching his anger.

He backed up surprised, but didn't release me. " You came here to kill me! You're a Hunter! You have to be!" He exclaimed. It seemed he was trying to convince himself more than me. I shook my head in frustration, my anger building. "I came to find out what they are! And I should kill you after what you did to Mo!" I yelled. He just looked at me blankly. "Pickett, you do not want to make me any angrier…" I said through gritted teeth. Finally he released and I sighed with relief as I moved my arms freely.

"Why else would you hate Ray and I?" He asked. That tears it!This time, I grabbed _him_ and slammed him against the wall, holding him down with my arm across his chest and my hands gripping his collar. "For one thing, you're conceded jerks and don't care about anyone but yourselves!" I stated as my anger increasing by the second. Scott looked at me completely bewildered. "Secondly, both of you are bullies and have no respect for anyone!" I paused as I leaned in closer unable to restrain my anger any longer. "And thirdly…you broke my friend's heart."

With that, I leaped away from him and took a few steps back as I felt myself phasing. Scott stood gazing at me, his eyes widening in complete surprise. As I settled in my form, I glared at him hate burning in my eyes. "Your one of us…" he whispered. I'm not anything like you! I leaped at him growling, my frustration unbearable.

He ducked under me and I hit the wall creating a large crack. I shook off the impack and swerved around to come face to face with another wolf. _Stella, calm down, it's me. _I heard his voice in my head, filled with caution. I froze and my mind completely shut down. _How can I hear him? _Scott walked closer, his pelt reflecting in the sun. _The same way I can hear you. _His voice echoed in my head again. _He can hear my thoughts? _I was desperately trying to catching on. Scott lowered his head and examined me for a moment. _Yes and you can hear mine._

_What? How is that possible! _I took a few steps back not liking having my thoughts exposed. Scott's ears flicked up as he heard something. _It's Mo. She's looking for you. _He explained. I heard the shame and pain in his voice when he mentioned her. Maybe he does care. Scott padded closer as he looked at me intensly. _I do care Stella. _He backed up. _I have to go and you have to phase back. _He instructed.

I watched him for a moment. _I don't want you to leave. _I thought it before I could stop myself. I didn't feel so alone anymore. I want to learn about what I am and what I'm supposed to become. _Meet me here tomorrow. At midnight. _And with that he turned around and ran through the parking lot and into the forest. I wanted to go after him, but then I heard footsteps coming from inside the school. I phased quickly and turned to open the doors to see Mo and Olivia down the hall.

"There you are!" Mo exclaimed as I jogged over to join them. "Sorry I went out to get some sun before all this hard work." I lied as the three of us walked to the gym. "It's fine Stells, besides I think we ALL need some sun before tonight." Olivia stated nervously. I put my arm over her shoulders. "Liv, everything is going to work out. I promise." I gazed over my shoulder and through the glass doors as I heard a small howl. This was going to be a hard weekend. 


	4. Chapter 4

**OLIVIA'S POV**

I struggled to keep up with Scott and Mo as we trotted through the woods. My clumsiness didn't help as I tripped over roots and stumps. The moon gave little light as storm clouds approached, blocking any guidance it offered. Scott walked confidently on all fours with Stella slumped on his back, unconscious. She twitched and mumbled in her sleep, and my worry kept growing by the second. I tried to keep an eye on her so I knew she was still breathing. I couldn't imagine how my life would be like without Stella, and I couldn't bear to loose her…

Scott didn't seem to be worrying at all as he calmly swerved past trees and strode through the undergrowth. After what seemed like forever, I saw Stella's house through the trees. The three of us picked up our paces and walked up to the front door. I couldn't help but feel angry. I was still very lost on how Scott and Stella could be half wolf. Why didn't they tell us?

Scott paused at the door and swerved his head to look at Stella. He looked back at Mo and I as he nodded to Stella. Mo and I walked up to Scott and carefully lifted her off his back. We moved over a little so her weight wasn't so hard to bear. I looked back at Scott. I felt my heart beat faster as his form started to change, the same way Stella's had. It was over quick as his legs and arms turned upright, and he was standing on only two legs. His muzzle shortened as his face turned back to normal. The fur disappeared, turning into clothing. Standing there was now _human_ Scott Pickett.

He took a step towards us and took Stella in his own arms. He carried her bridal style as he looked at us apologetically. "I'll explain everything when Stella is safe. Please open the door." He told us sympathetically. Mo walked forward and opened the door for Scott who walked in urgently. He sighed in relief and strode into the living room, with us following behind.

"Mr. Yamada!" He called through the house. I heard rustling as Stella's father came into the room from the kitchen. He stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes widened. "What happened?" He exclaimed running up to Stella in Scott's arms. She was still soaked and completely knocked out. "Ray." Scott answered angrily. Mo and I just stood back while we watched the exchange.

Mo leaned over to me without taking her eyes off the conversation. "Have any idea what's going on?" She asked, whispering. "None whatsoever." I muttered back. Mr. Yamada ran his hand through his short hair. "Bring her in here!" He commanded harshly. He walked into another room that led to the basement. Scott, Mo, and I followed carefully. We went down the stairs and walked over to a bookshelf.

"Stand back." Scott told us. Mo and I took a step back and watched as Mr. Yamada grabbed one the books. He pulled it out and in three times. He grabbed another book, a shelf higher and did the same thing twice. I realized it was a code. He pulled one more time before the bookshelf completely moved. My mouth dropped.

The book shelf slid sideways reveling a gap in the wall behind it. Scott wasn't surprised and confidently walked into the gap with Mr. Yamada following. Mo and I cautiously stepped into the hole. "Oh. My. God." The two of us said in unison. I breathed in amazement at the sight before us.

The walls were made of bare rock, cold and solid. Several claw marks scarred them along with the floor. It smelled of damp grass and pine. As wild as everything looked, there were tables and desks lined all along the perimeter of the room. The room itself was about 10ft high and 40ft across and forward. The tables were covered in maps and papers and as we walked deeper into the room, I occasionally saw papers pinned up onto the rock.

I tried to take all of this in without freaking out. I breathed in deeply. _So…Stella and Scott are magically half wolf, lied to us, and live in a giant cave that is located behind a secret moving book case… What's not to get? _

Mo and I jogged to catch up with Scott and Mr. Yamada_.. _At the end of the room, along the back wall was a cleared metal table. "Set her here!" Mr. Yamada told Scott. He obeyed and turned so that he didn't put any pressure on Stella's wounds. He carefully set her onto the table and stepped back to let Stella's dad do his job. Under the top of the table, were a few drawers. He opened one and pulled out a stethoscope and a ophthalmoscope.

There were a few specks of water scattered on the table from Stella's soaked clothes. Mr. Yamada took no notice and he put the stethoscope into his ears. He placed the other end over Stella's heart. I tried to read his expression, wondering if she was okay. I could see the rise and fall of her chest, but it seemed uneven. "Her pulse is strong, but her body is on overload trying to heal all her wounds." Mr. Yamada explained straightening up.

"What exactly does that mean?" I asked quietly. It seems as if Stella's father just noticed Mo and I were there as he heard my question. I noticed the water on the table turning red. Mr. Yamada started grabbing gauze and bandages from the other drawers.

"It means that since she's unconscious, her mind isn't responsive to her body at all. Because she has special blood, the cells are trying to repair the broken tissue as fast as possible." _Special blood? What does that mean?_ He paused and looked at us for a moment. I could tell on the inside he was freaking out for his daughter's health, but he was trying to keep himself composed.

"She can't feel it now, but the cells are slowly draining what's left of her energy trying to fix the injuries." He started wrapping Stella's arm with the gauze trying to stop the bleeding. He looked down sadly. "If she doesn't wake up…then her body won't have any energy left and…she'll die." _WHAT? _Scott's eyes widened and I heard Mo catch her breath.

"How can we wake her up?" Mo asked hurriedly. Mr. Yamada started dabbing the wound below Stella's rib cage with peroxide, which was probably the worst gash she had. "We can't." Mr. Yamada announced. He stopped suddenly and looked at Scott. "But _you_ can." He stated. Scott backed up and held his hands up defensively.

"No! I can't invade her privacy like that!" He yelled. _Oh my God. I'm so freaking lost! _Mr. Yamada glared at him. "Would you rather her die?" He asked angrily. Scott clenched his fists, obviously looking conflicted. "You're asking me to intrude on all her secrets and dreams! I don't want her to die but there has to be another way to snap her out of this!" He persuaded.

Mr. Yamada glanced at Stella helplessly. "There's not…" He told us. Scott looked away for a moment. "Fine. If she gets mad at me, I'm telling her it was your idea." He announced. He closed his eyes and I struggled to understand what was going on.

**SCOTT'S POV**

I dove into my subconscious and focused on one thought: Stella. I fanned out my senses and felt the brush of her mind against mine. Even when she's unconscious there was that constant barrier blocking the connection. I was going to have to break through it. _I'm sorry Stella_… I slammed my conscious against hers and the invisible wall crumbled instantly. I felt her trying to push me out, to stop me from seeing everything, but she was already too weak to fend me off.

Visions and memories flowed into my mind as I broke through Stella's subconscious. Not my memories, but Stella's. Flashes of childhood came and went in a blur. I wasn't even sure if I saw them. As I drove deeper into her mind, the memories became longer and clearer. I tried to ignore them and brush them aside, but certain ones were to powerful to overcome.

_Stella tapping Ray's shoulder. "I have a better idea…" Taking a huge gulp of lemonade, but not swallowing it. Ray turning around as Stella lurched forward. Lemonade soaked Ray's shirt as everyone laughed in amazement. The feeling of satisfaction at humiliating Ray at his own game._

I struggled not to withdraw from the connection I promised never to do to Stella. I pushed forward as I reached out farther into Stella's subconscious. I could feel her pushing back on me, desperately trying to get me out of her head. _Wake up Stella! _I shouted out with my mind. I winced as a fresh wave of memories flooded me.

_The adrenaline rush at playing at Madison Square Garden. Stella's heart lurching every time the CO__2 __jets would go off. The little surges of anxiety that went off every now and then, but were cured from a heart melting smile from Scott… _

I thought I'd seen that wrong for a moment. Did I really give her that look? Stella's conscious took advantage of my confusion and slammed into my mind. It felt as though a rock had been pelted at my head. _Stella open your eyes! _She continued to push me out, closing off parts of her mind and her barrier rebuilding. _Listen to the sound of my voice! WAKE UP! _

Her subconscious completely shoved me out and I opened my eyes to find myself on the floor. A major head ache made my head throb horribly. I stood up cautiously to see Stella jerk awake. _Thank god! _She was gasping for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the cave.She sat up quickly, confused and alarmed. She yelped in surprise as soon as her body changed motion and she quickly laid back down, her face scrunched in pain.

I stood up as Mr. Yamada glanced at me with relief. "Stella! Calm down you're fine!" Her father soothed her. Stella's fists were clenching at her sides, but her breathing came sharp and forced. "Mo…Olivia…" She gasped out. As if on cue the two girls rushed over to the table. "We're fine Stells." Mo assured her. "Thanks to you." Olivia added.

Mr. Yamada continued to tend the injury on Stella's stomach as she slowly turned her head towards her friends. "I'm sorry…for lying to you." Stella whispered weakly as I joined Olivia and Mo at the table. Stella's gaze hardened for a moment when she saw me. "Y-You broke into my mind…" She stated angrily. I looked down for a moment. "It was the only way to save you." I explained.

Mr. Yamada covered the gash on Stella's arm and stomach with bandages as he finished. Stella was about to say something when Mr. Yamada intervened. "She needs to rest." He told us. I nodded and gestured Mo and Olivia to follow me. They hesitated, not wanting to leave their friend's side. "Go…he'll explain everything." Stella encouraged quietly. Reluctantly, they obeyed. We walked back through the gap behind the bookcase as Mr. Yamada stayed behind with Stella.

The three of us entered the living room and I motioned for them to sit down. "This is going to take a while so get comfortable." I announced taking a seat on a recliner across from them. The two girls exchanged glances, preparing for the answers to all their confusing questions. 


	5. Chapter 5

**STELLA'S POV**

I carefully watched Scott lead the girls out of the sanctuary. I felt horrible. My arm and stomach throbbed every time I breathed. Even though in a day or so both injuries would be fully healed, that didn't stop the pain from feeling any worse.

My head felt like it had been kicked by a horse. Whenever my heart pumped blood into my brain, I cringed. Not only do I remember slamming my head into a rock, but Scott had to destroy the entire barrier around my mind that I've worked so hard to build.

I felt scared at how easily he broke in. How could I be so vulnerable? Even when I was out cold I could tell he was trying to invade my subconscious. It was like a bad dream. A dream where you realize that you're dreaming. Where you know nothing is real and you desperately try to wake yourself up to return to reality. When this happens you feel disoriented, almost as if everything is blurry or your drugged. Of course when you try to control your dream since you know you're sleeping, whatever you want to happen, the exact opposite happens.

I _knew _I wasn't awake and I _knew _what he was trying to do. The more I tried to push him out the more I exposed to him. The worse I struggled to wake up the sleepier I became. Scott saw almost every single memory I had. Whether they were meaningless or not, now he knew everything.

The only thing that woke me up was when I focused on his voice. His voice came from the real world. I thought about reality to wake up. Television, cell phones, school, grass, anything! Before I knew it, my barrier rebuilt, little by little. I got the strength to push him out, causing a reaction from my mind to crash back to Earth.

I woke up scared and dazed. Only when I sat-up alarmed, did I feel the gut-wrenching pain from my rib and arm. Now that I could think clearly without my dreams in the way, I remembered what happened. How Mo and Olivia could've died because of me. Laying on the table covered in blankets and starring up at the ceiling of the cave right now, I realized it was all my fault.

What if they had died? By defending them the way I did, that makes them the most wanted on Ray's list. I just dragged them into all this chaos. There is no one else to blame then myself…

**MO'S POV**

We waited patiently as Scott sat in the recliner, searching for a start to his story. As conflicted as I feel about this whole situation, I want to hear him out first. There could be a logical explanation for all of this right? I was angry that he and Stella kept this all a secret, but then again Stella just saved my life and Scott was my boyfriend. Should I be angry or grateful?

The debate in my head was silenced as Scott opened his mouth to speak. "I should start off by saying that Stella and I are werewolves." He started. "And that both of us hated lying to you guys." He looked down regretfully for a moment. "We didn't want to see any of you get hurt, but that doesn't matter anymore." He took a deep breath. "I'll explain everything and anything you ask."

A million questions buzzed in my mind, but Olivia beat me to it. "How?" She asked. It seemed like a pretty simple question, and Scott answered without hesitation. "Stella and I are Natural Borns, meaning that we inherited being werewolves. It's in our blood and DNA." He explained meeting Olivia's gaze.

"No I mean how can werewolves exist?" She corrected. Scott's brows furrowed as sat thoughtfully. "There are tales of a scientist who was the first to create the poison of a werewolf bite, but others believe it was a rabid wolf as the cause. Whichever is true, it happened a long time ago, back before America was even discovered."

"How do you know this?" I said curiously. I was starting to get interested in this. It's like a mystery waiting to be unraveled. Scott smiled slightly noticing the hint of discovery in my voice. "My father keeps his own sanctuary, like the one we were just in, but he has _magnificent_ library." Scott admitted. My mind was reeling. Ancient books with tales of werewolves locked away in a cave…what a waste. I shook the thought away and focused on the main problem.

"So what was that you said before? Natural Borns?" I hinted. Scott's expression changed back to his seriousness. "Yes. Stella and I were not bitten to become werewolves. It's natural for us. A Natural Born makes their first change, normally through an overwhelming feeling, and once that happens it sticks with them forever." He explained.

Olivia who sat listening intensely, spoke up. "You said earlier that being a werewolf is in your DNA. That means your parents are werewolves too right?" She sat forward in her chair just as interested as I was.

Scott pursed his lips. "Not exactly. My Mom was the werewolf of my family but she left when I was 9." He looked down for a moment before continuing. "Thankfully she left me the books and studies for me to read in our sanctuary, but my Dad knew what she was and what I was going to become." He laughed bitterly, not meeting our gaze. "Dad tried to stop my first phase, but his efforts just mad me angrier until it happened. After a while he accepted and supported me, but I think he's afraid of me."

"What's so important about a first phase?" I asked. Scott looked at me to address my question. "If the DNA of a werewolf isn't activated in the person, then they never inherit the ability to phase. That's what happened to Stella's father. He isn't a werewolf in the same sense as we are, but the DNA still passes to the next generation which would be Stella. Even though he can't phase, the DNA is still in him, just not in use." He finished.

This was all logical to me. It made sense. I was starting to understand now. Just a little though. "So what does Ray have to do with all of his?" Olivia asked remembering our encounter with him in the woods. Scott took a deep breath as his anger grew for a moment.

"Ray is a Natural Born and I used to be in his pack, before he started changing innocent people." His expression turned pained. "Pack?" I echoed. Scott nodded. "A pack is when werewolves make a bond to each other, willingly or non-willingly. When they make a bond, they can communicate through thoughts and emotions. When your part of a pack, you can't share any of those connections with a werewolf not in your pack. Unless neither of you have a pack making you rouges." He explained.

"So how do you join or leave a pack?" I questioned trying to understand. "That depends on what type of werewolf you are. If you're a Natural Born, it's just connecting minds with whoever is deemed leader. If you're a Bitten, you're basically a slave…" He trailed off sadly.

"So, Ray was the leader of your pack and he started biting innocent people?" Olivia restated surprised. Scott nodded solemnly. "If you've been bitten by a Natural Born, that makes them take complete control over you. Since Ray is a Natural Born, every person he bites turns into his puppet. He could make you kill yourself if he wished." My mouth dropped for a moment. I knew Ray was a jerk but this…this seemed too much even for him.

"So you a Stella are part of a pack and you're trying to stop Ray?" I guessed. Scott nodded. Realization hit me for a moment. "So that was what you were talking about when you had to wake up Stella! Because you're mentally connected to her right?"

Scott chuckled at my outburst. "Yes. Since she was wounded more seriously than normal, her werewolf blood was trying to heal her by taking more energy then she had to spare. Werewolves have special white blood-cells that heal almost 10 times faster than normal humans." He smiled and looked at us slyly. "Didn't you notice the scratch on Stella's face was perfectly healed?"

Now that he pointed it out he was _right_! Her face had been completely flawless. "Wait so if being unconscious makes the blood heal faster, then how will she sleep?" Olivia pointed out. Scott twiddled his thumbs. "There's a difference between being unconscious and sleeping. When you're unconscious, you normally don't wake up when someone shakes you, or calls your name. But when you're sleeping, you can be aroused easily." I nodded.

"Either way, if she had been unconscious, her wounds hadn't been as bad, and she had more energy, then her healing wouldn't have been so death threatening." He added. As he said that I remembered how tired Stella had been all day at school. "So why has she been so tired?" I questioned.

Scott took a moment before answering. "Stella and I are trying to stop Ray and find other Natural Borns to join our small pack at the same time. We usually take turns. One night I'll go track Ray and she'd search for New Borns, and the next night we switch. But over winter break, the changes happened more rapidly. She spent _three days _in a row chasing him with no sleep." He looked down as if it was his fault.

Whoa…three days? She must've been miserable having to hunt someone down barely able to keep your eyes open. "Why was she chasing him for so long?" Olivia asked concerned. Scott leaned back in his chair again. "Hunters." He stated. I cocked an eyebrow. "Hunters?" Olivia and I repeated in unison.

"Hunters are people who try to…_exterminate_ our kind." Scott's voice was filled with poison and hurt. I examined him for a moment. "Why would they kill you?" Olivia asked her voice rising. He hesitated for a moment. "They believe werewolves are a threat to average people. They think we're monsters who pray on humans, and unfortunately there are some who do. But they think we're all the same. They don't understand that most werewolves are good and that bad ones can control people by biting them." He sounded angry.

"That's horrible!" I exclaimed. Scott smiled bitterly. "They think they're doing the world a favor by killing us, but they're just making it worse." He paused a moment. "The trouble with all of this, is you can't tell who's a Natural Born, or who's a Bitten, Or who's a Hunter. There's probably a bunch of each in Mesa." He announced.

"How many people are in Ray's pack?" Olivia asked. Scott counted in his head. "Seven, all of which he has control over by biting them." I shook my head in disbelief. Seven… "Do we know any of them?" I questioned. Scott nodded. "You know Derek and Dean, Mudslide Crush's bassist and drummer. Then there's Patty and Jules who-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…Patty and Jules are werewolves?" I interrupted. Scott nodded solemnly. Oh. My. God… "But the ones you've probably only seen around school and not actually know are Kyle, Nick, and Peter." Those names sounded familiar.

"Weren't you and Stella talking about Peter at school?" I blurted it out without thinking. Scott narrowed his eyes, but then he smiled slightly. "I knew you were spying on us." He declared. "But yeah, Peter was the one who scratched Stella's face." He didn't sound angry like before. Olivia noticed too.

"Is that a good thing?" She asked cautiously. Scott shook his head. "No, but it's not his fault. He's being forced to hurt us and either way, Ray might have control over them, but we can still talk at school. Most of his pack tells us information about where he's going next." I nodded as I connected the dots. "So, Kyle and Nick must be the wolves who almost killed us today." I stated.

Scott shook his head slowly. "Not exactly…" Olivia and I exchanged confused glances. "What do you mean?" Olivia asked. Scott spoke hesitantly. "They weren't trying to kill you…they were trying to _bite_ you. To make you one of them. To make you…Ray's slave."


	6. Chapter 6

**OLIVIA'S POV**

A silence gripped the room. Was he serious? Ray wanted _us _as werewolves? "What does that mean?" Mo asked shakily. Scott looked down uneasily. "It means that Ray will stop at nothing to make both of you part of his pack." He explained. My heart dropped in panic.

"Why? what does he want with us?" I questioned my voice raising. Scott shook his head sadly. "He doesn't necessarily _want _you. He wants me and Stella, and he knows that the easiest way to accomplish that is through people we care about."

I understood now, why they kept it a secret from us. To protect us. But what would happen now that we know the truth? I was scared. Scared of becoming a monster like Ray. Betraying my friends and not be able to stop it. Scratch that. I'm _terrified_. Scott saw the panic in my eyes.

"I promise that we will do everything and anything to keep you all safe." He assured us. I glanced over at Mo and saw the same unsettled emotions reflecting in her gaze. "Scott, I don't think you and Stella will be able to stand against Ray's pack and Hunters at the same time and still be able to protect us." Mo stated uncertainly.

I was startled by Scott's reaction. He laughed. "Me and Stella? Even though Natural Borns are stronger then Bittens, you're right we _wouldn't_ stand a chance." He stood up and walked towards the front door, leaving Mo and I confused on the couch. He grabbed the door knob and glanced at us with a sly smile. "I think it's time for you to meet the other members of our pack."

**STELLA'S POV**

After the Halloween Bash Performance

All the students in the gym yelled out in protest. I stood on the stage in confusion for a moment as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I looked around panting, my breath gone from our exhilarating performance. What happened to the lights?

I turned around and saw the outline of Mo and Olivia, still caught in the moment as I was. Both girls were frozen mid-strum of their instruments. The amps had been turned off too.

I saw Charlie holding his drumsticks above his set ready to continue pounding away if not for our power outage. Wen was still holding the microphone as he looked over to Lyle by the sound equipment.

I cautiously picked up my jacket and stumbled over to the rest of the band. "What happened?" I mumbled as the crowds protests became louder and angrier. This wasn't part of the show. A couple emergency lights activated then. They illuminated the gym and created small shadows across the stage.

That was when I saw him. Principle Brenigan. He was standing behind Lyle who looked at us with an apologetic expression. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and shared glances with rest of my band mates. Brenigan was glaring at us with a look of disappointment and disapproving. He shook his head and calmly walked out of the gym. I could tell that we had all come to a realization.

_He _was the one who shut us down. A burst of anger cut into my mind. How could he do that? Who does he think he is? I threw my jacket onto the floor in frustration as I stomped off the stage.

"Stella!" Mo's shout echoed over the commotion of the audience. I pushed my way aggressively through the crowd as I ignored my friends pleads. I could hear them putting their instruments down as they looked for me among the darkness of the crowd. Olivia _would_ be the one to grab my megaphone.

"STELLA!" The entire crowd went dead silent. The only thing heard was the sound of the door being shoved open as I exited the gym. I clenched my fists and slammed them against the outside wall of the gym. My breaths were sharp and short as I tried not to loose it.

This was Lemonade Mouth's first chance to really make a difference. This was our chance to prove that everyone is important, not just sports. This was my chance to finally show that I'm not useless and dumb to my Mother. And Principle Brenigan just ruined _all _of it!

I threw myself sideways as I yelled out in anger. I landed on familiar four legs as my yell transformed to a growl. Already the thumping of my paws on the pavement cooled me down, but the anger brought a new energy to my body. I just wanted to run. Escape from all the infuriating things Mesa brought.

I sped towards the forest, knowing that if a student saw me I would be in instant danger of exposing our kind. My eyes easily adjusted to the dark sky as every little twig or branch was visible to me.

I made my way deeper into the thick woods and the smell of pine made my anger dwindle away. How this forest was so calming, I had know clue, but it felt good to be free in the fresh night air. I just kept running not in any hurry to stop. I felt like I had disappointed our new fans. We couldn't even finish our song because of Brenigan.

I came to a sudden stop as the trees parted to revel a small clearing. It felt so secluded and peaceful here as the star-light reflected off the dew in the soft grass. I slowly walked around this clearing, taking in the beauty. Scattered around were small blooming flowers of all colors.

I lowered my muzzle and examined the delicate plant. I could smell the sweet pollen hidden inside the flower. So much life contained in one tiny form. It was as if all the energy of this whole forest, every single creature, could come together in this one place. This clearing felt special. It was the center of the whole forest and acted as the heart of it as well. I hadn't even noticed, but I had phased back as a human.

I walked around the rest of the clearing until I finally came to the middle of it. A slanted rock stood proudly in the moonlight. It was probably 8ft tall and dark black. There was something entrancing about it.

I placed the palm of my hand gently against it. I felt tiny vibrations moving through the surface of the rock. It took me a moment to realize what it was. It was the forest. The buzzing of life all reacting into the ground and being felt here. A small smile escaped my lips.

"Breathtaking isn't it?" I jumped as I twirled around to see Scott standing at the edge of the clearing. I didn't know what to say. Honestly I was surprised to think that the beauty of this place reflected off him as well.

There was _something _about him, that made me nervous. He was mysterious to me, new territory. I had met him for real only a few hours ago and learned that he too was werewolf. He smiled as he walked over to stand next to me.

"I'm sorry about the sports program." He said. I snapped out of my daze. "M-Me too." I stuttered trying to recompose myself. He sat down and leaned his back against the rock.

"I didn't realize what we were doing until now. Making kids feel lower than us or like they don't exist." I sat down as well, listening to him as we gazed up at the stars. "I'm going to quit the soccer team." I starred at him in surprise. "Scott, you don't have to-"

"No, I want to." He interrupted looking down at me. I sat there gazing into his eyes. I was seeing him in a new light. I thought he was just like Ray, but now I know he's the complete opposite. "I was wrong about you Scott. You're a lot different then I thought you were." I admitted.

His eyes perked up with interest. "How so?" He asked smirking. I laughed and looked down comparing thoughts. "Well, you actually have a heart, unlike Beech. And when I think back on it, I've never seen you bully anyone." I confessed.

He nodded satisfied with my answer. "So…would you say I have enough heart for us to be friends?" He asked cautiously, looking down at me again. I searched his eyes only seeing sincerity and hope. "Maybe." I teased standing up.

He looked down sheepishly, laughing. "What do I have to do to prove myself?" He questioned curiously. I already knew what I wanted, and I answered without hesitation. "Teach me how to be a werewolf."


	7. Chapter 7

**MO'S POV**

The crisp night air gave me shivers as we trudged through the dark woodland, and the crunching of our feet on the grass was all that I could hear. Scott led the way in front of Olivia and I, and I could tell she was just as anxious as I was about meeting the other members of the pack.

From the way the trees started to become more brunched and close together, I assumed we were heading deeper into the forest. That didn't exactly cure the feeling of unease spreading through my body.

I couldn't wrap my mind around any of this. My boyfriend and my best friend were _werewolves_! How am I supposed to feel about that? What am I going to tell my parents? Am I even going to tell them?

"How much farther are we going Scott?" Olivia asked breaking the silence. Scott stopped for a second, looking around. "Only a few more minutes." He responded continuing to trudge through the forest.

I sighed and continued to follow him. I wanted Stella to be hear. I felt so alone, like I didn't belong in this adventure. How will this effect my everyday life? Would I even be able to go to school knowing that lurking around any corner could be Ray or his minions?

I wondered if Olivia felt the same way. Oh crap… What are we going to say to Charlie and Wen? Olivia is going to die without Wen to help her through this. They don't deserve to be left out on this. Do they?

Scott stopped dead in his tracks. "We're here." I looked around for a sign of life. In front of us was a hill about 15ft high and 20ft across. We were still secluded by trees and undergrowth, which made it difficult to see.

Around the hill were dozens of over hanging branches and bushes shrouding us in even more darkness. Nothing was here. I glanced over at Olivia who was looking around for a clue as well.

"Where exactly is 'here'?" I asked. Scott walked over to the base of the hill a pulled aside some of the bushes and held up the swooping branches, revealing a tunnel. "Of course." Olivia muttered. Scott looked over at us. "After you." He said motioning for us to enter.

I took a deep breath and made my way into the darkness of the tunnel. Olivia followed behind me and Scott trailed in the back. "Just don't stop walking." Instructed Scott. I couldn't see anything and the only comfort I had was Olivia holding onto my arm for assurance. The shuffling of our feet on the dirt echoed through the enclosed space.

It felt like an eternity before I saw a glowing light in the distance. The closer we got the brighter it became until eventually, I walked into a chamber. Candlelight flickered across the walls, which looked similar to the ones back at Stella's house: covered with claw marks and papers.

I was surprised to find myself standing on a carpet. I looked forward and saw chairs and desks scattered around the round chamber in a semi-circle, their backs facing us. In the center was a long sofa and in front of it was a plasma screen TV. Even though it was underground, the place was decked out!

As Olivia and Scott emerged from the tunnel, Olivia let out a whistle. "Whoa…" She said awestruck. I silently nodded. I felt a chill from behind and realized that the air from the outside could be trapped and circulated in here, causing a pleasant room-temperature feeling.

The light from the TV sent flashing colors drifting from wall to wall. Scott gazed a both of us, reading our expressions. "They're asleep." He whispered pointing to the chairs and sofa. Scott stayed where he was as Olivia and I walked silently to the center of the room. We looked over the back of the sofa. I recognized the two pack members instantly. Relief crept through me with the knowledge of knowing who our protectors were.

Sprawled out on the couch, with the same bushy hair as ever, was Lyle. He had his arms crossed over his chest, with his feet resting on the arm of the sofa. I looked to my right to see Victoria passed out in the chair with her arm holding her head up for balance. Both seemed to have fallen asleep by accident rather than on purpose.

Olivia grabbed onto me excited. "Can you believe this? All of our friends are werewolves!" She muttered happily. Scott came over and joined us. "I hate to say it, but we need to get you two home. It's almost 11." He whispered.

Just the thought of being home made me yawn. Olivia did the same. Scott smiled amused. "Come on," he urged, walking back towards the tunnel. "it's way past your bed time."

**OLIVIA'S POV**

I watched Scott and Mo walk back down the street from my bedroom window as I sighed with content. _Home_… It felt like I hadn't slept in months. I laid down on my bed and tried to relax myself. My muscles were cramped from so much walking, but my mind was still reeling.

How was Stella? I really wanted to see her before we came to my house, but Scott had insisted that getting Mo and I home safe is what Stella would've wanted. I knew as well as he did that Stella hated being fussed over like a little kid, but that didn't stop the worry from clenching at my stomach.

School is going to be difficult tomorrow now that I know Ray is after us. _Never be someplace alone. As long as there are witnesses, Ray can't do anything._ Scott had warned me. That didn't really help. After all, he could actually defend himself. What does that make me and Mo, Dead-weight?

And what would happen if Ray did get us? That was what I was afraid of most. The thought of being forced to do something made my stomach twirl. One should always have the freedom to do what they believe in. What Ray was doing sickened me…and yet it terrified me.

He would twist my mind to see my closest friends as the enemy, make me fight or even _kill _them. Or worse, make them kill me. I know they would do it out of self-defense and I would forgive them, but they would never forgive themselves.

And yet through all of these thoughts, one stood out the most. What do I tell Wen? I couldn't lie to him, but do I have permission to tell him the truth? No. I can't tell him for the same reason Stella and Scott couldn't tell us. To protect him. I'm not dragging him into this unless he needs to be.

I closed my eyes and tried to settle my thoughts to focus on happy things. And before I knew it, I fell into an uneasy sleep…

**STELLA'S POV**

My eyes jerked open as I woke up panting. With each large breath, my rib cage screamed in agony, from stretching my torn muscles. Sweat drenched my face and neck, making me feel hot and sticky. I was surprised for a moment, realizing that I was in my room. _Dad must've brought me in here._

The thought gave me little comfort as the vivid images from my nightmare reran through my head. Dreaming about your closest friends dying wasn't exactly relaxing. As my breathing evened out, I closed my eyes to clear my mind.

I sat up slowly, bearing the searing pain emanating from my side. I clutched my right arm to my stomach, putting pressure on the throbbing scratch running down my forearm. With my good arm, I reached over for the glass of water my Dad had generously put out for me on my nightstand.

My mouth felt dry and sore as I brought the cool glass to my lips. I drank the entire glass in a series of large gulps, causing my side to throb more vigorously. I ignored it, placing the empty cup back and cautiously standing up. I hobbled my way over to my window and lifted it open, allowing the cool wind to drift inside.

I sat on the windowsill, debating whether I should try climbing onto my roof were I normally let the breeze calm me down. _It wasn't real. It wasn't real. _I kept repeating in my mind. But it was so clear…so descriptive…

I hated being enclosed in my stuffy room, especially with a lot on my mind. I sighed, the urge of looking up at the night sky too tempting. I pulled myself out of the window and onto the roof, walking carefully on the slanted surface. I laid down once again, with my good arm behind my head and looked up at the shimmering stars.

Soon enough the rustling of the trees in the wind made the thoughts of pain and worry ebb away. A small smile escaped my lips as I remembered the first time I scanned the sky like this. The night after the Halloween Bash, with Scott, had been the moment I realized the stars really do sooth you.

"I thought you might be up here." Rang a voice from the silence. I turned to see Scott climbing out the window to join me. "Hey." I replied smiling. He laid down beside me, and even though I was enjoying the cool breeze, his warmth was a million times better.

"How are you feeling?" He asked gently. I snorted. "Don't worry about me, Pickett, I'll be fine in a few days." I reminded him. He turned on his side to look at me. "That doesn't stop me from being concerned." He stated as a matter-of-factly. I rolled my eyes. "You _should_ be worrying about Mo and Olivia." I scoffed. He sighed. "Believe me, I am." He assured me uneasily.

I could tell he was thinking about something. And if his words didn't show it, his emotions betrayed everything. "What happened?" I questioned, reading him like a book. He glanced back at the sky before meeting my curious gaze.

"Mo." Was all he said. It was all he needed to say for me to understand that he was hurt and confused. "Why, what did she do?" I persisted. He pursed his lips, thinking for a moment. "It's not what she did, it's what she didn't do." He paused as I waited patiently.

"It seemed as though…she was afraid of me. I tried to kiss her goodnight, but she wouldn't let me. Instead she basically slammed the door in my face and went to bed." He admitted sadly. That doesn't sound like Mo. "Well this is a lot to take in I mean…she just found out that two of her best friends-"

"Four." Scott interjected. I turned to him and furrowed my eyebrows. "I showed them the lair." He declared. I nodded, understanding. "Okay then, four of her best friends are werewolves." I continued. I gazed at him hoping he would get my point. "Maybe she's just confused or mad at us for lying." I suggested.

He shook his head stubbornly. "No if she was mad, she would've come out and said so. I think something was bothering her." He wondered aloud. I looked back up at the stars. "You can talk to her tomorrow." I hinted. Scott gazed at me nervously. "Could you?" I opened my mouth to respond before he interrupted.

"Please, Stell? She's your best friend and would tell you anything over me, and besides if I ask her then she might not even talk to me, or worse she could-"

"OKAY! Okay! I'll talk to her! Now stop rambling before I push you off my roof!" I threatened. He laughed before scooting closer and wrapping his arm around me. "Thank you." He said relieved. I snorted. "Coward." I insulted amused, snuggling closer to him.

We sat like that, just enjoying each others company. And from everything we've been through together, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.


	8. Chapter 8

**OLIVIA'S POV**

_I walked carefully as Wen led the way covering my eyes from behind. "Are we almost there?" I asked the curiosity of my surprise overwhelming. "Why don't you look and find out?" Wen announced removing his hands from my face._

_I gasped in amazement. He had led me to the lake behind the school, and unlike most populated areas, this lake was one-hundred percent natural. The scenery was beautiful. I looked down to see a large blanket spread out over the ground. I immediately noticed the basket placed on the end of the blanket and instantly knew what was happening,_

"_Aww, Wen! It's wonderful!" I exclaimed, turning around and throwing my arms around his neck. He held me tightly for a moment before I pulled away. "You're the sweetest person I've ever met." I told him, leaning up to kiss him lightly on the cheek. He gestured for me to sit down. _

_The cool wind ruffled my hair as I sat on the soft blanket settled on the grass. Wen sat beside me smiling as he opened the picnic basket, revealing two cans of Mel's Organic Lemonade and a bunch of various fruits. Grapes, strawberries, watermelon…everything._

"_Look who decided to be romantic." I teased smirking. Wen glanced up at me. "Of course, you deserve it." He persuaded. I cocked an eyebrow. "For what?" He smiled ear to ear. "For being you." He answered taking out a lemonade and handing it to me. _

_No matter how hard I tried, he noticed the light pink shading my cheeks. He chuckled to himself. "Don't be so modest, you're the most amazing person I've ever met." He murmured leaning closer. I smiled as his lips met mine. It was sweet and passionate, and would've lasted longer had we not been disrupted._

"_Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?" Came a voice from behind. I swirled around to see Ray Beech watching amused. My voice hitched in my throat as I quickly stood up, with Wen beside me. I had to warn Stella and Scott! "C'mon Ray, can't you see Liv and I are trying to have a date?" Wen asked exasperated. Ray snickered. "I just thought…_Liv _would like to meet my newest pack members."_

_Stella and Scott walked out from behind him, each with a death-glare plastered on their faces. Fear gripped me. "Oh-no…" I mumbled. Wen looked at me confused. "What's going on?" Before anything else could be done Ray snapped his fingers. "Get the ginger." He commanded calmly._

_Stella and Scott simultaneously leapt forward, completely transforming into wolves. "NO!" I screamed. Stella got to Wen first and slammed him to the floor as Scott stood over him pinning him down with his large paws. Both wolves looked over to Ray, waiting for his next command._

_I was frozen as Wen looked around frantically from the ground, trying to understand what was happening. He was struggling to breath from the pressure of Scott's lean muscles. "Please!" I protested, falling to my knees. "Stella, Scott! You're better than this! I'm begging you!" I yelled tears running down my face._

_Ray laughed glaring at me. "They're mine now Olivia. As far as they're concerned, they never met you." He lifted his hand about to motion the wolves to strike. "NO! Take me instead! PLEASE!" Silence followed, besides my sniffles. _

_Ray smiled evilly. "So be it." He stated. I glanced at Stella and Scott. Ray gave the signal. The large wolves sprang at me. "NO!" Wen's voice rang out._

I jerked awake, panting. "Olivia! Olivia! Calm down it's me!" I glanced around frantically to see Stella looming over me shaking me shoulders. "Stella!" I exclaimed relieved, leaping at her in a hug. I took both of us off balance as we fell from my bed onto the floor. I landed on top of Stella, clinging onto her, sobbing.

Stella grunted in pain as I remembered her injuries. "Oh my god, Stell! I'm so sorry!" I said guiltily between sniffs. But even as I said that, I didn't release my death grip on her as I continued crying quietly into her shoulder. "No, no. It's fine. Everything's okay." She assured me rubbing my back soothingly.

"It was so real…" I gasped out. Stella held my head against her, allowing me to hold on tighter for comfort. "Shhh, I know. You're safe now." She coxed encouragingly. If I was causing Stella any pain from this, she hid it well. But every time she breathed, I could feel her body tense up.

"I'm hurting you." I mumbled my voice hoarse. Stella gasped, allowing her pain to show. "I don't care." She said stubbornly and wincing. I pulled myself off her. "I do." I replied sniffling. I helped Stella up as both of us sat on my bed. I rested my head on her shoulder, as more tears ran down my cheeks.

"What are you doing here at 3 in the morning?" I muttered through breaths. "Watching you. I came in through the window." She admitted. "I'm not risking any of you getting hurt." I nodded laying down. Stella watched me and yawned.

"You must be exhausted." I whispered, finally calming down. Stella shook her head. I rolled my eyes. "You haven't slept right in days, and now that your hurt, rest is something you _need_." I persuaded, tugging on her arm to lay beside me.

She didn't protest, but instead gave in. She settled beside me as I rested my head on her arm again. We sat there in silence for a few minutes. "I was having a nightmare too." Stella announced breaking the quiet.

"What was it about?" I asked cautiously. She hesitated a moment. "Scott." She answered almost ashamed. "Scott?" I repeated confused. "You dream about Scott?" I said in disbelief, lifting my head slightly to look at her. She sighed. "The same way you dream about Wen."

I looked down blushing. "How do you know about that?" I asked in an undertone. Stella chuckled. "You talk in your sleep." She replied amused. I shook the thought away. "Wait so what do you mean by you dream about Scott?" I persisted. I sat up to look at her, knowing there was more to this than she would admit.

I could've sworn I saw Stella's cheeks turn pink in the darkness. "I mean that…I might kind've…" She trailed off wanting to avoid the subject. "…maybe, sorta…" She tried again, with no success. She let out a sigh of frustration at her own embarrassment. "I think I like Scott." She finally finished.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stella has a crush on Scott? "Since when?" I questioned surprised. She slowly lifted herself to sitting position, while thinking. "The Halloween Bash." She muttered. My eyes widened.

"That was almost half a year ago!" I exclaimed. She nodded. "And for half a year I've been wondering why a knot forms in my stomach every time I see him with Mo." She confided sadly. Jealousy, longing, guilt. She's been suffering through these emotions for half a year, and I had no clue.

No matter how wrong it was that Stella liked Mo's boyfriend, I knew she couldn't help herself. The heart wants what the heart wants. "I'm sorry Stell…" I said sympathetically and hugging her again. This time she held onto _me_ and buried her head in _my_ shoulder. Although no tears erupted, I knew she was hurting…bad.

"Sometimes I feel so alone…you have Wen, and Mo has Scott but me…?" She muttered into my shoulder, her voice cracking. Well there was someone… "Charlie?" I offered. Stella snorted. "All he can do is share my pain, maybe even enforce it." She told me.

She must've felt my confusion. "When he looks at Mo, I can see the heartbreak in his eyes…He wants what he can't have." She explained. How come I never noticed this before? Stella likes Scott, and Charlie still likes Mo.

"Stell it's going to work out, you'll meet someone who blows Scott out of the water!" I encouraged. She pulled away and looked at me. "Really?" She asked quizzically. I nodded. She gave me a small smile. "Thanks Liv, I don't know what I'd do without you." She announced laying down once again. I settled beside her and closed my eyes.

I had forgotten about all the worries of the day, all that mattered was the comfort of a friend being there when you need them. "Goodnight, Stell." I whispered, smiling. For once, I felt Stella relax and breath in deeply. "Night, Liv." She mumbled, but I was already sound asleep.

**SCOTT'S POV**

I approached Mo's house, with my hands in my jean pockets, and the hood of my leather jacket pulled over my head. I briskly walked around her house searching for any sign of danger. For once I would've liked to get a goodnights sleep, but I knew when Stella suggested we keep watch, I couldn't refuse.

She had a good point that I agreed with, I mean Ray _could _ambush our friends at anytime. So now here I am acting as the babysitter for my girlfriend. Victoria was stationed at Charlie's house, and Lyle at Wen's.

I didn't like us being separated like this. Even though all for of us could take on a Bitten, I don't know what would happen if we were outnumbered. And the fact that our job was to ensure the safety of our friends, meant that we weren't only responsible for keeping ourselves in one piece, but also that of our assigned person.

I was nervous to be Mo's protector. I felt like she was mad at me, and I didn't blame her, but there was something else that made me not want to be assigned to Mo. It was a feeling in the pit of my stomach, like I wasn't supposed to be here. But I wanted to be here to make sure she was safe.

The perimeter of the house seemed secure as I came back to the front. I glanced towards Mo's bedroom window on the second floor. How can I get up there? I searched around for anything climbable, when I noticed how the oak tree by the side of the house slanted towards the window. How convenient is that?

I pulled my hood back as I grabbed hold of the lowest branch and hoisted my self up. The tree rustled as my weight knocked leaves to the ground. I jumped up to the second branch and balanced there for a moment. The window was right across from me, as I crawled onto the limb of the branch. Her window was open and I silently jumped into her room landing with a soft thud.

Easy. I patted down my clothes, brushing off all the dirt and leaves, as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I glanced around the room, now recognizing the features. Mo was sound asleep in her bed, the rise and fall of her chest matching with the ticking of the clock mounted on her wall. I quietly walked around the room looking at the various pictures posted over the walls and framed on her desks.

There was one taken backstage right after our Madison Square Garden performance. It was a picture of the whole band. We were standing in a line, in the background you can see a side view of the stage as well as all of our instruments leaned up against the wall, forgotten.

Charlie and Mo were on the left end of the picture. Mo had on Charlie's hat as both of them were holding one of Charlie's drumsticks between their fingers. They were laughing hysterically and Mo looked happier than I've ever seen her. Charlie had been trying to teach her how to twirl the drumstick, and from the looks of it she hadn't been doing very well.

Wen and Olivia stood beside them, in the middle. Wen had his hand over his mouth as if he had been beat-boxing. Olivia was holding the microphone to her mouth and pointing her arm to the sky. Her eyes were closed in the heat of emotion that always came when she got on stage.

I let out a smile when I spotted Stella and I in the picture at the right end. We were smiling from ear to ear in the middle of our jacket war. We were using our jackets to smack at each other, and in the picture Stella had the upper hand. I was turned to the side as her jacket came at me and I held mine up defensively to block her blow. From her victorious expression, I figured she had won.

"Scott?" I heard Mo whisper from behind me. I turned around to see Mo sitting up in her bed, squinting to see in the darkness. I smiled. "Hey. Sorry if I scared you, I'm just keeping watch." I assured her. She nodded looking down. She slid over and patted the bed beside her, inviting me to sit.

"How's Stella?" She asked worried as I settled beside her. "She's doing better, right now she's at Olivia's." I replied taking her hand. She sighed as she rested her head on my shoulder. "I'm sorry about earlier, at the door." She told me as I gently rubbed the back of her hand. She looked up at me as I stayed silent.

"It's just…this is a lot to take in right now, I mean…how long have you been a…" She trailed off as I slowly turned towards her. "A werewolf?" I suggested. She nodded. I looked down again, remembering that painful night.

"When I was 9, the night that my Mom left, was my first phase." I admitted. She nodded. "So we started dating when you were part of Ray's pack, right?" I shrugged confused. "Yeah, what does that have to do with anything?"

"Why did you ask me out?" She asked suddenly. I stared at her shocked for a moment. "Why wouldn't I? You're smart, talented, funny, and beautiful." I answered, not understanding the point of her questions. She shook her head.

"No, you never paid attention to me, and then one day you just started talking to me…why?" She persisted. I opened my mouth to answer, but noting came out. What was she talking about? "I-I don't know, one day you just seemed…different." I stuttered.

She shook her head again. "Ray knew I was close to Stella…he wanted you to bite me didn't he?" She asked. Was that fear in her voice? "No! Well I mean…yes he did, but when I refus-" She cut me off. "Get. Out."

I stared at her bewildered. "Mo…" She yanked her hand out of mine. "Our entire relationship was a lie! Get out!" She demanded again, pointing towards the window. I stood up. "Mo let me explain, please!" I begged. "I'm not loosing you because of some stupid misunderstanding again!"

She looked down twiddling her thumbs. "Scott, I don't know what to believe anymore. You've been keeping things from me since the beginning." She told me sadly. My heart was being ripped out of my chest.

"Mo, listen. I did start dating you because I liked you. But when Ray told me to bite you and I refused, he broke us up by setting me up with Jules the night of the Halloween Bash. I swear!" She stood up beside me and I took her hand and placed it over my heart.

"Feel that? A pulse from a caring heart. I'm not a monster like Ray, I would never bite anyone." I persuaded. She looked up at me with watery eyes. "Scott…" She said uncertainly. There had to be some other way to convince her.

Before she could say anything else, I crashed my lips to hers. She pulled away almost instantly. "I'm sorry Scott, but when you kiss me…all I think about are those canine's in your mouth." She admitted, her voice soft.

I looked away, as my heart cracked in two. "Scott, I love you but…I'm not _in_ love with you." Throughout all the pain I felt, I understood what she was saying. I nodded solemnly. I leaned down and kissed her softly on the cheek for the last time, before turning and jumping out the window without another word.

I landed with thump on the ground. I stood there for a moment as the hurt truly hit me. Mo just broke up with me… I wanted to find Stella. She always made everything better…but I couldn't. I needed to protect Mo no matter how much my heart ached. I sulked off toward the woods in the backyard, as I felt myself transforming into a wolf.


	9. Chapter 9

**STELLA'S POV**

I woke up with the sun rising brightly through the window, casting a beam of light to illuminate the dark room. I realized with relief I had no more nightmares the rest of the night. And for the first time in weeks, I felt refreshed.

I felt Olivia's head resting on my stomach, her arm draped around my waist, using me as a pillow. She looked so peaceful and happy in her sleep. A small smile escaped my lips.

I was glad that I had finally admitted to, not only myself, but Olivia as well that I had feelings for Scott. It felt as if the shame I've had every time I'd even _look_ at him was melting away. I wasn't exactly proud that I'd accidentally developed feelings for Mo's boyfriend, but-

That's when the rush of emotion slammed into my brain. Loss, pity, betrayal, anger, guilt. It felt as though someone had stabbed me in the heart and was twisting my emotions everywhere. It was so strong, I felt my stomach cringing, trying to contain it all.

Olivia snapped awake in alarm as I squirmed around, trying to stop the whirlwind of pain. I took deep forced breaths as the pangs of emotion made my throat feel tighter and a deep sadness filled my body.

"Stella!" She grabbed me holding me still on the bed. "Stella calm down! Everything's okay! What's wrong?"

I shook my head, clearing my mind as the attack of emotions finally withdrew, leaving me confused and shocked.

It was Scott, that much I knew. I've touched his mind so many times, it was all too familiar. Something horrible must've happened for him to feel so strongly. What could possibly…?

"Stella! Talk to me! Are you hurt?" Olivia questioned urgently, scanning my body. All I could do was lay their blinking rapidly as my eyes adjusted once again to my surroundings. My breathing evening.

"Mo broke up with Scott…" I whispered as realization hit me. Olivia froze gazing at me. "What? Why would she do that?" She demanded, her concern soon returning as she grabbed my arm and examined the bandages.

"Olivia," I said, sitting up. "I'm fine seriously, it's just…" I trailed off. I never really realized how much she meant to him. A twinge of hurt ran through me. Why didn't he feel that way about me?

"He's heartbroken." I finished as Olivia continued to check me over. Her gaze slowly met mine as she realized I was dead serious. She shook her head.

"No, Mo wouldn't break up with Scott…would she?" She looked down, considering the possibilities. I let out a sigh. "I _know _she did Liv, but I don't have any clue why."

My mind wandered back to my conversation with Scott on my roof last night, his words replaying in my head.

_It seemed as though…she was afraid of me. I tried to kiss her goodnight, but she wouldn't let me. Instead she basically slammed the door in my face and went to bed._

Was Mo afraid of us? Of him? Of me? I let out a deep breath, my mind reeling. "I'll talk to her at school." I told Olivia who was watching me with her eyebrows raised.

"What?" I asked feeling self conscious. She frowned slightly. "How do _you_ feel about this?" I hesitated a moment, wondering what she was referring to. "What do you mean?" I asked not following.

She looked down at her hands, fingering the bed sheet nervously. "I mean like…how do you feel about Scott being…single?" She questioned glancing back at me. I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing happened.

How do I feel? Confusion at Mo's reasoning, sympathy for Scott's pain, and…hope? The hope of Scott actually noticing me the way he notices Mo.

What would that make me, a rebound? Another wave of longing hit me. Would he even move on from Mo? I let out a sigh.

"I feel conflicted." I admitted meeting Olivia's gaze. She nodded slowly. "Okay well, we have plenty of time to build on that, but right now we need to get ready for school." She said pointing towards the clock.

6:02 A.M. I nodded and stood up, thinking about why Mo would dump Scott all of the sudden. Something wasn't right about it, and I knew the reasons wouldn't be good.

**MO'S POV**

I walked into the detention room hesitantly, wondering if Scott was already here. I felt horrible about last night, mostly because when he left I saw the same look in his eyes that I had when I saw him cheating.

But I knew I wouldn't be able to see him the same way after the revelation of him being a werewolf. I felt like I couldn't trust him anymore. He lied to me for the past year and when he kissed me last night…it didn't feel right.

I kept thinking about how easily he could bite me, how vulnerable I really was when I was with him. I didn't feel _safe_. Of course I knew he wouldn't but, just the fact that he _could_ unhinged me. And thus now I'm single again.

I let out a breath when Stella and Olivia were the only ones present in the room. Of course the moment I entered, I wished I hadn't.

"Why'd you do it Mo?" Stella asked, her voice shaky. Her fists were clenched on the desk, her eyes closed as if she was trying to stay calm. My silence caused Olivia to glance at me worriedly before her eyes watched Stella once more.

"What do you mean?" I questioned setting my stuff down at the desk next to Stella. She took a deep breath, her jaw working. "You broke up with Scott…why?" Her voice sounded threatening and I sat in the desk hesitantly.

Was she mad at me? "Stell listen, I feel horrible for doing it but I couldn't date him anymore. He's been lying to me the past year and honestly…I don't feel anything but unease when he kisses me. I'm sorry."

Olivia gave me a nod of understanding while we both looked at Stella waiting for her reply. Slowly her hands relaxed and she opened her eyes. She avoided my gaze and looked down at her desk.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked regretfully. Stella closed her eyes once again, shaking her head. "No, it's just…I can feel everything he feels and its very…overwhelming." She said through gritted teeth. So Scott was mad at me.

Stella looked over at me slowly. "He really does love you." She said quietly. I didn't respond. Is she saying I should get back together with him? I thought I loved him once too, but…there was something else that kept me from being with him. Something I knew I couldn't stand in the way of. But what was it?

"Don't Stell. I've made my decision. He deserves someone who knows for certain how she feels, not someone who doubts." I told her hoping she would drop the subject. She gave a quick nod before turning away and closing her eyes again. She took a deep breath.

"I suggest you don't talk to him today…I'm afraid he'll breakdown more than he already has." She said gently. I held back a twinge of guilt as Scott himself walked through the door. I didn't want to look but I couldn't stop myself.

He looked _awful_…His hair stood up in tuffs, which was weird because I couldn't see an ounce of gel in his hair. His clothes were wrinkled and his collar poked out of his jacket, looking ruffled and messy. There was a certain slump to his walk, moping with his backpack dragging on the floor from his hand.

But the thing that alarmed me the most was the wild look in his eyes. They were blood-shot and a hurt expression was visible on his face.

I turned away quickly, unable to take what I did to him. Oh God Scott…I'm so sorry…

**SCOTT'S POV**

The rest of the morning went by in a blur. I couldn't stop thinking about Mo, about what I lost. My heart ached and everything I did felt worthless and numb. Nothing I did would bring Mo back to me. Nothing.

We were walking to lunch, with me in the back. I couldn't even bring myself to stand anywhere near her, it hurt too much. I wasn't even paying attention to my surroundings, so when I felt a grip on my arm yank me into the near by closet, my heart nearly stopped.

As the door shut securely, a light flicked on in the small space. My heart beat rapidly as I saw Stella leaning against the door, I pained expression on her face.

"You need to get a grip, Scott." She started meeting my gaze. I saw no interest any longer as my mind recovered from the surprise and wandered back to Mo. I looked down as I felt my chest tighten with grief. What was the point anymore? Why should I get a grip?

"Scott, look at me!" She demanded, frustration clear in her voice. Slowly my eyes met hers. The harsh tone I heard in no way matched the sympathetic and worried face I was looking at.

"She's moving on Scott." Stella said gently. "And I can't stand to see you like this." She admitted looking me over. "You're always there for me, and I'm helping you through this." She stated her voice lowering.

"I feel everything you feel and I know that she means everything to, but this isn't the end of the world. Mo made her decision, and you of all people know that no matter what happens…it will get better." She said encouragingly.

As her words hung around me I realized that she was right. "Mo isn't the only girl in the world. You'll meet someone who loves you no matter what. And you have to keep your head up to the future and stop dwelling on what was." She finished looking at me waiting for my response.

I understood what she was saying and I knew she was right, but I couldn't let go that easily. All I thought about was Mo and it wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

"I can't get rid of it, Stell." I whispered looked away again.

She let out an exasperated chuckle. "Have you tried howling?" She asked watching me with a gleam of amusement.

I sighed embarrassed. "I've…I've never howled before…" I confessed risking a glance at her. Her eyebrows rose. "Really? Aren't you supposed to be the experienced one?" She questioned teasingly.

I couldn't help the small smile escape from my lips.

She beamed at my reaction. "Meet me in the clearing at 9. I promise if you come, the hurt will go away." She urged hopefully. I let out a nod and looked at her admirably. "Thank you Stella." I whispered as I hugged her tightly.

I don't know what I would do without her. I pulled away reaching for the door knob. "Ah, ah, ah!" She exclaimed blocking my arm. "First, we need to fix all…" She looked me up and down pointing everywhere. "this."

Once again I felt the smile forming on my lips. She reached up, grabbing the messy tuffs of my hair and patting it down. She kept on rubbing it but it wouldn't stay down.

She stepped back examining my hair thoughtfully. "Maybe this will work." She said reaching up once again. This time she pushed my hair up, working with it instead of against it. After a few minutes she retreated triumphantly. "There."

I went to feel my hair with my hand. It was in Mohawk style like at our Madison Square Garden performance, except it felt more natural without all of the moose and gel. I reached in my pocket, looking at the reflection in the black screen of my phone.

Wow. It looked…good. I put my phone away, my satisfaction showing. Stella took that as a sign to continue. She grabbed my shirt, fixing my collar and moving my jacket around on my shoulders until it looked more presentable.

As she worked, I couldn't stop watching her. The way her face scrunched up thoughtfully as she considered the possibilities to fix my poor appearance. Her eyes shining as her gaze moved over me. Her skillful hands working their way around my clothing, smoothing down the ruffled fabric.

"And…there!" She declared successfully, her hands returning to my collar, adjusting the folds of my shirt. "Now you can go out in public without looking so…" She trailed off as her head slowly lifted, her eyes meeting mine.

I couldn't look away as I suddenly noticed the situation we had created. Her hands gripping my collar firmly, holding me against her and her eyes boring into mine.

"so…" She tried again without success, completely loosing her train of thought. All the thoughts of Mo completely vanished. Right now it was just me and Stella. Me and Stella…Me and Stella…

My mind started slowing down as I felt myself leaning towards her our faces inches apart…

Suddenly the door swung open, Stella and I turned startled to see Olivia standing in the door way. "There you guys are! We've been looking everywhere for yo-" She cut off abruptly as she looked between the two of us her eyebrows raising.

"Um…am I interrupting something?" She asked surprised.

"No! Uh…Stella was just, fixing my…er…my…" I stuttered flustered as I glanced back at Stella.

"I was just…fixing his collar." Stella explained, once again patting down the crumpled clothing as she released her grip and backed away.

Olivia's eyes narrowed. "Right…well um, we have a table waiting so…" She trailed off pointing behind her towards the cafeteria.

"Yeah, of course." I said as Stella nodded in agreement. The two of us walked out of the closet, leaving behind a smirking Olivia.


	10. Chapter 10

**OLIVIA'S POV**

I sat at the lunch table in between Mo and Wen, Chalie, Stella, and Scott sat across from us. My thoughts kept drifting back to what I just witnessed. Stella. And Scott. In a closet. Alone. Looking at one another. And I mean _looking_.

I picked at my food, not very interested in eating anymore. "Heads up." Stella muttered under her breath as she glanced up, looking over my shoulder. I turned around to see Ray walking into the cafeteria, followed closely by his pack.

Jules and Patty went straight to the girls room, as usual, somehow believing that redoing make-up is a good idea during _lunch. _There were a few guys with him as well. I recognized Dean, the bassist for Mudslide Crush, and Derek, the drummer, from seeing them at Rising Star.

All I really know about Dean was that his family moved here from Puerto Rico a few years ago, giving him the tan, Hispanic build he has now. I've never spoken to him in a conversation before, but I knew from the talk around school that he was very smooth with words, which totally fit his accent as well. I'll admit, with his short spiked hair and style, he was as attractive as the girls say he is. But the fact that he was trying to help Ray control me, totally turned off the appeal of him.

Derek on the other hand, with his short temper and lean figure, was a lot more aggressive and out going then any of his posse. Except maybe Ray of course. But growing up in a family of six, who could blame him? Banging on drums must be a great way to let out the irritation and frustration he carries at home. He's a little taller then his buddies and dark-skinned, giving him an intimidating appearance even though he wasn't as buff as the rest of them.

I saw three other guys trailing behind them. Even though I'd never really seen them before, I recognized two of them instantly.

The first thing I noticed was his short, shinning brown hair, the ends of each strand pure black. Even from here I could see those dangerous green eyes glaring at me from last night. Kyle. For a second, his gaze met mine, a look of regret and shame clear on his face as he looked away quickly.

Then there was the second one, Nick. His blonde hair and twinkling blue eyes standing out above everything else. His skin was paler then the rest of the group, making him the easiest to spot. He didn't look as menacing as any of them, giving him a less threatening demeanor. But not even he could compare to the last and final member of their pack.

By process of elimination, I knew it had to be Peter. He was the shortest of the group and probably the youngest. He looked to be Japanese-American and his pitch black hair matched the chocolate-brown swirls in his eyes. He stopped for a moment as he glanced at our table. The gentle and pure look in his gaze caught me by surprise. He gestured to the side of his face and mouthed the words, 'I'm sorry.' to Stella. She replied with a curt nod as she continued to eat her salad.

I raised an eyebrow at Stella. She gave a motion with her fork saying she'll explain later. "So," Wen started in between bites of his french fries. "how was your night?" He asked openly, glancing between all of us.

"Eh, the usual. T.V, homework, messing with my brothers…" Stella answered trailing off. Her gaze turned towards Scott, who sat beside her. He was extremely interested in his corn, poking them on the tip of his fork absent mindedly. That hurt expression returned on his face, and I knew he was thinking about Mo.

"Well, I mostly did schoolwork and violin, extremely boring." Mo replied, her eyes meeting mine. I gulped. What was I doing last night? I looked up at Wen, sitting beside me. "Yeah, I was just…er…I went to bed early after my homework to catch up on my sleep." I told him quickly. He gave me a funny look before moving on.

That stung. I just lied straight to his face…Maybe I could convince Stella to tell the guys too. I mean we all deserve to be in on this don't we? I zoned out as Charlie started talking about this new beat he made up last night.

Before I knew it the 4th period bell rang, and the six of us got up to leave for our next classes. "See you after school?" Wen called as we went our opposite ways. I nodded as he smiled and walked down the hallway. I turned around and started towards my next class.

The hallways were emptying quickly and I was about to open the door to the classroom when someone grabbed my arm.

"Olivia, wait!" I swirled around to see Peter holding me firmly. My heart started beating in my chest as I was two seconds from yelling for help. "No, no, no! Calm down, I'm not here to hurt you!" He muttered, placing his palm over my mouth to silence me.

There was a part of me that wanted to trust him, that his peaceful demeanor was comforting in some way, but I didn't. I shook my head frantically and grabbed his arm to make him release me. My efforts didn't shake him at all. His eyes met mine, desperation shining through them. "Listen Olivia, I don't have munch time. You need to tell Stella and Scott that-"

"PETER!" A voice snapped around the corner. He let go instantly. "I have to go." He told me backing away. He closed his eyes in failure as he disappeared down the hall without another word.

It all happened so fast that I just stood there frozen as the bell rang for class to start. What was he going to tell me? My phone vibrated in my pocket as I opened it to see Wen had texted me. I smiled inwardly, walking into the classroom as the thoughts of Peter vanished from my mind.

**STELLA'S POV**

I walked into my room with a huff as I fell onto my bed. I hate school. It was extremely boring, but for once my thoughts were dwelling on school. What happened at school to be more specific. With Scott…

He was about to kiss me. And I was about to let him. Not that him kissing me would be a problem, but…I think Mo still cares about him even though she can't admit it to herself. She hates hurting him, and I hate her hurting him too, so I saw it as my job to fix him as best as possible. Would kissing him help at all?

I threw my backpack across the room, it landing with a thump by my desk. I walked into the bathroom, taking off my jacket and my shirt cautiously, as I examined my injuries from last night.

I could see the blood soaking through the gauze as I slowly unwrapped it from around my waist. I finally removed the last of it, revealing a deep red gash that had already begun to close up and scab over. There were a few small bruises surrounding the area of the wound.

With a few winces, I managed to take a slow, calming shower, letting the warm water sooth my aching muscles. I put on fresh gauze and got dressed when I got out. It was only about 4 when I finished so I did what I've been wanting to do for the past two days. I slept.

I woke in darkness. The light from the window coming from the full moon. I looked over to my nightstand the clock reading 8:53 P.M. Perfect timing.

I jumped out of bed, running down the stairs and pausing to say, "I'm going out to the forest with Scott." to my dad who was sitting at the dinning room table working on taxes. "Okay, but be careful!" He called as I ran outside and turning to head into the woods.

I phased as I started running into the forest, my paws thumping rhythmically on the ground. The sounds and smells of the forest raging into my senses, the dampness of the grass, the chirping of crickets, and the feeling of the wind whisking through my fur.

After a few minutes I came to a stop as I entered the clearing. Scott stood at the center, in his wolf form as well, staring up at the stars with bright glowing green eyes. He slowly turned towards me, his face brightening.

_I was beginning to think you stood me up. _His voice sounded in my head, tinted with amusement. I snorted. _Please, even if I did I wouldn't ever be able to get rid of you._ I shot back stopping in front of him.

A silence gripped us as he waited, anxiety drowning out any other of his emotions. His tail flicked back and forth in a fidgety manner. _Why are you so nervous? It's just howling. _I assured him, fixing him with a curious gaze.

He looked away embarrassed. _I told you, I've never howled before and I have no idea how to do it or anything. _He admitted sheepishly.

_You honestly don't know _anything _about howling? _I questioned surprised. _Well in movies and stuff normally wolves howl together when they uh… _He trailed off uneasily. _Mate? _ I suggested as he slowly looked at me.

_Yeah. _He answered awkwardly, turning away again.

I rolled my eyes. _Yeah well we're not wolves, we're humans so howling together means nothing right? _I asked sarcastically. He nodded. _Good._ I took a few steps back, giving each of us our space as I started.

_So when you hear wolves howl, you normally hear a mournful type wail. But as a wolf, it sounds totally different. It's like…our ears are synchronized to pick up the sounds differently. Only wolves hear howling the way it's supposed to sound. _I explained.

_And how is it supposed to sound? _Scott asked.

_Like singing. _I answered looking up at the moon. His ears flicked up in surprise as his eyes widened. _Stella…I don't sing. _He complained starting to back up. I turned towards him, shaking my head. _I don't think you've truly tried._ I challenged motioning him to stand by me.

Hesitantly, he did so and stopped beside me. _Close your eyes. _I instructed. He glanced at me confused before complying, his eyes shutting. _Now I want you to empty your mind. Take deep calming breaths and just listen to the sounds of the forest._ I told him.

The running of the nearby stream, the rustling of the leaves, chirping crickets, wind blowing pleasantly, all the life of the forest echoing in our ears. I knew he was trying hard to focus on the background and I could hear the slow inhales and exhales as his muscles relaxed.

_Now, how do you feel? _I asked quietly. After a moment he answered. _Peaceful. _His voice sounded distant, off in his own world. I paused for a second, letting him enjoy his peace. But I knew in order for him to howl, he couldn't be peaceful.

_How do you feel when you think of Mo? _Instantly, I saw him flinch inwardly, all the emotions from this morning rushing back. Anger, betrayal, confusion, frustration, desperation, a mix of feelings he managed to describe in one hollow word. _Hurt…_

He opened his eyes cautiously, turning towards me, the sorrow clear on his face. I turned so I stood directly in front of him. _I want you to take what you feel, sing from right here, _I leaned forward, pressing my nose to his chest. _and I'll join in._

He glanced down at where I touched him, his eyes meeting mine once more as I took a few steps back to give him room. He stood there silent before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

I waited as he took his time to collect his feelings. I was hiding it, but honestly I was sorta nervous too. Mostly because I've never howled with another werewolf before. Heck, I've never even _heard _another werewolf howl before. There's a first time for everything right?

Hesitantly, Scott rose his muzzle to the sky, releasing a sound like nothing I've ever heard before. I froze instantly. It sounded so natural, harmonies and melodies mixed into this one sound. It represented grief, anger, and sadness…but underneath all of the pain, I heard something else. The voice echoing through the trees, _his_ voice, gave me shivers.

I couldn't help my fur pricking up. Yup, you know what that pretty much means…he gave me goosebumps.

His voice, beautiful and mesmerizing, left me in daze after a second. I could feel the rebirth in his howl, his heart ever so slowly healing. Love, compassion, happiness, all of these hidden emotions surfacing in this single note. I felt my eyes close as his singing sucked me right in. That was when it came to an abrupt stop.

It took me a few moments to hear the silence, my eyes slowly opening in confusion as I blinked repeatedly to remember how to speak. Scott was starring at me. _Why'd you stop? _I asked surprised. He looked down. _I don't know…because of you I guess. _He answered watching me confused, as if he seriously didn't know.

_Me? _What did I do to make him stop? _Yeah, you're reaction was…distracting. _He admitted turning away. I walked over to him, rolling my eyes. _Because you sounded amazing! I don't even know how to describe it with words, but there's something about your voice that makes me feel…_

I trailed off, not knowing what to say. His eyes searched mine, waiting for me to finish. Before I could stop myself, one word popped into my brain. _Right._ And it was true. Hearing him howl in those 5 seconds, made me feel warm and fuzzy. Comfortable and safe. _It felt right._

Scott watched me for a moment a silence gripping us. He really doesn't know how entrancing he sounded. I could feel his uncertainty and hesitation, wondering if he should continue howling or not. So I decided for him.

Only a few feet away from each other now, I lifted my head to the sky a let out a howl that, to me, paled in comparison to his. The emotions that seeped from _my_ voice, were opposite from what I just heard from Scott. Passion, support, love, hope. The same emotions he needed to move on.

I continued howling, letting him know how much I cared about him. That when he was hurt, so was I. But what caught me off guard was that he was thinking the same way I was thinking when he howled. But that didn't stop me, that encouraged me. I liked knowing that my voice had the mesmerizing effect on him, that he too got shivers from me singing.

Pretty soon, I heard his howl join mine. Our voices blending together, creating a song only we knew. Our tones and pitches changing perfectly in sync, matching one another as if we were the final pieces to a puzzle.

Without even realizing it, I found myself stepping closer to him, wanting to feel his warmth, needing to hear his voice. And he was doing the same.

Within a few minutes, both of us felt drained as we came to the last note in our song. I slowly lowered my head as I opened my eyes to see Scott's face inches away. _Wow…_He whispered breathless as his eyes met mine. _Yeah…I know._ I agreed gazing at him. I've never noticed but even as a wolf he was still taller than me.

_Stella…I can't believe I never realized that I was never in love with Mo either. _He admitted leaning closer. _What do you mean? _I asked, confusion welling up inside me. _I did really care about her, but tonight I uncovered something… _He paused. _It's you. It's always been you._

My heart stopped. _What are you trying to say? _I needed to know if he was saying what I thought he was saying. He looked down and chuckled before looking me right in the eyes. _Stella, I lo-_

_STELLA! SCOTT! _Victoria's and Lyle's voice exploded into my mind. I swirled around in alarm as an ear-splitting scream of terror echoed through the woods. It was Olivia's.


	11. Chapter 11

**OLIVIA'S POV**

I walked out of Dante's with a goofy smile on my face. Wen had asked me to get pizza with him after school around 6. Of course when I got there I wasn't expecting him to have reserved the WHOLErestaurant, but you take what you can get. As if nothing better could happen, he asked me to be his girlfriend! I probably blushed like crazy and stuttered a bit, but we're finally together and that's all I really cared about.

I was walking home with the street lights glowing above me. Not a single car passed by and the night was unnaturally silent. I shivered in my jacket, the cold air chilling me to the bone.

I glanced down at my watch. 8:51. I can't believe Dante let us have the whole restaurant for three hours. But I'm glad he did. My thoughts kept trailing back to the events of the day. Me and Wen are dating!

I suddenly remembered something. Peter. I stopped dead in my tracks. Something was going to happen tonight. The image of his scared brown eyes and urgent tone made me certain. He had tried to warn me. And I completely forgot!

I ran. Bolting down the street with my footsteps echoing on the pavement. I had to get to Stella and Scott! Oh my god! How could I be so stupid?! Horrible thoughts crept into my brain. What if I was too late? What if they were in danger right now?

My lungs screamed for air, my breaths coming in huge gulps and my sides burning. The ongoing forests on either side made me feel uneasy. Then I saw a porch light. Stella's porch light. New found energy pumping through me, I sprinted towards the house fear making me tremble.

I came to a stop at the door, panting, as I knocked fiercely on the door. It swung open within seconds. "Olivia? What's wrong?" Mr. Yamada stood in the doorway a concerned look on his face.

"W-Where's…Stella?" My gasping made my stomach churn. "She just left to go meet up with Scott." He replied pointing towards the woods behind him. "Why, is something wrong?" He asked a seriousness etching into his tone.

I nodded. "Peter…warned me…to tell them…something…" I told him grasping my stomach. He grabbed my arm and pulled me inside while slamming the door and locking it. He quickly grabbed a glass of water and handed it to me. I gulped it down as he grabbed the phone.

"What should we do?" I questioned, my breath returning as my shaking hands clasped the glass. "I'm calling Lyle and Victoria, they're the only other people who know this forest." Mr. Yamada quickly punched in the numbers before holding the phone to his ear, waiting for an answer.

I could hear the living room clock ticking, the seconds passing by. Every tick that went by was taunting me. Right now at this very moment two of my closest friends could be in serious trouble! God! How could I have forgotten?!

"Lyle, it's me! We have a situation!" Mr. Yamada yelled into the phone. "Stella and Scott are in the woods, and something terrible is going to happen. You need to go in there and warn them before its too late!"

His voice was panicked and worried. "Okay be careful!" He hung up the phone before turning towards me. "Olivia you need to stay here, where it's safe. If Ray is really after you, then you can't go into that forest. Understand?"

"But Stella's in danger! And she's still hurt from last night! I need to do _something_!" I argued standing up in objection. We glared at each other for a moment before his gaze softened. "Olivia, I know what it feels like to want to do something, but what can you do? You'd just be in the way and another thing for Stella t worry about. Please stay here where its safe." His eyes were pleading and I realized for once, he _did_ understand.

This is the father of Stella. He has to watch her get hurt everyday as werewolf and he can't do anything. Maybe he understood as a father, but he could never understand as a best friend. "I can't."

Without waiting for a response, I turned around and bolted out the back door. I ran straight into the woods, without looking back. I could hear Mr. Yamada shouting my name, but I kept going as far as I could. My lungs burning and my legs aching, I kept pushing until I reached the small hillside I was looking for. The lair.

I crouched through the undergrowth and saw the dark tunnel looming in front of me. I dashed inside and kept running until I reached the inner loft. The tv was off and the room was empty. Lyle and Victoria were all ready gone.

_What am I supposed to do now? _I looked down only to see footprints. Actually they were _paw _prints. They led forward into the cave wall and disappeared in front of it. What the heck? I approached the wall and held my hand to it. Was there like a button or panel I was supposed to press? Sliding my palm all around, I didn't see anything. That was when I took a step back.

My foot sunk into the ground about an inch, almost causing me to fall. I looked down alarmed and saw a stepping stone. As soon as the pressure left the stone as I moved back, the wall opened into a new tunnel. Ah, more secret passages.

I ran down the tunnel and found myself back in the forest. I had no idea how far I was from the hillside, but it was gone. Where was I?

"Olivia?" a voice whispered from the bushes. I knelt down to see Victoria staring at me with wide eyes. She wasn't in her wolf form. "What are you doing here?!" She exclaimed in a hushed voice. I crawled into the bush beside her, hidden from view.

"I'm here to help Stella." I explained. I looked around. "Where's Lyle?" I asked confused. Victoria looked down. "Ray and his pack ambushed us when we came out of the tunnel, they know about the lair. Lyle pushed me into this bush before they saw me, and he ran off in the opposite direction taking the pack with him…I don't know where he is now."

"Can't you like, share thoughts or something?" I questioned. "Yeah only in wolf form, but I don't want to expose my scent or else they'll find us." She whispered back. Great, what are we going to do now?

Suddenly Victoria's hand shot out in front of me. "Shh! Someone's coming!" She warned. We sat there anxiously waiting as I heard twigs snapping and leaves rustling. "I know you're out there, Victoria!" It was Ray. "I'm not here to kill you! Or I'd be in my wolf form right now!" He looked around waiting.

"Maybe if you surrender Olivia, I'll call my pack off your nerd friend!" He suggested. Shit. Victoria glanced at me and held a finger to her mouth, motioning me to stay silent. She stood up and walked out into the open as I sat there in shock. She stood directly across from him. What was she doing?!

"As you can see, Olivia isn't here. It's just me and you, Ray." She challenged taking a step forward. Ray smirked. "You're lying." He stated. Everything happened so fast.

Ray lunged forward, shifting into a wolf and tackling Victoria as she too changed into a wolf. They landed in a heap of fur as Victoria through him off and stood waiting for him to try again. The moon light shimmering off her pale-ish gold fur looked stunning. And Ray, with his pelt as white as the moon itself waited as well. Both their eyes piercing blue, just stared at each other.

The silence was killing me. They stood there like statues, just _watching_. And then suddenly Victoria charged him. She slammed into Ray throwing them both backwards as she swiped at him, claws outstretched. She had him pinned to the floor and his jaws snapped at the back of her neck.

A yelp of pain sounded from her as he grasped her by the scruff and threw her sideways. Victoria hit a tree behind her with a thump, and leaves fell from the branches at the impact. She got up quickly, snarling at him in anger as she once again went on the offensive.

Jumping forward, she sliced his muzzle with shocking speed before forcing him to the ground by jumping onto his back. But Ray rolled over quickly, switching the positions as she lay under his weight. Blood dripped from the scratch across is face, staining his white fur. Victoria squirmed beneath him straining to escape, but he held a paw to her throat, pinning her there at his mercy.

She glared up at him realizing she lost.

I waited in the bush my heart racing. Keep fighting Victoria! But she didn't. Ray snarled and growled at her, wanting her to do something. She did nothing. Not a single noise erupted from her. I saw the muscles in his shoulders tense up as he pushed down harder on her throat. She winced as the new pressure made it hard to breathe.

Do something! Ray barked down at her in anger. I could see the frustration in his face and he finally snapped. I watched in horror as his jaws locked into her shoulder, biting hard. Victoria yelled out in pain, squirming and flailing everywhere. But he only bit harder. Before I could stop myself, I yelled out.

"STOP!"

Ray froze as he turned to look at me, releasing Victoria. Blood gushed out of the wound in her shoulder as she laid there whimpering. I stood up and walked out into his view. I felt tears staining my eyes. "Please…don't hurt her." I pleaded. His paws still pinning Victoria down, he glanced between me and her. I knew what he was thinking. Which is my first target?

I gulped thickly as the fear finally set in. Ray slowly let go of Victoria, who rolled over in pain as she tried to get up. But her shoulder failed as she collapsed on the ground, panting and whimpering.

Ray advanced towards me, his blue eyes menacing and cold. Only a few yards away now, he did something of a snicker. But he stopped dead as his ears pricked up. He glanced around alarmed and looked over to the left. Lyle suddenly exploded out of the trees slamming Ray to the ground.

My heart jumped. Thank God! That is until the rest of Ray's pack came into view, right behind Lyle.

Lyle, his pelt light gray and curled at the end, similar to his hair stood in the center of the clearing. The pack circled him, waiting to strike. It was a 1 on 8 fight.

Ray, his white fur tinted with red, stood opposite of Lyle. I recognized the brown pelt and glowing green eyes of Kyle who was standing behind Lyle, blocking his path. Nick, his pale blue eyes and shimmering sliver pelt stood on one side of Kyle.

On the other side of Kyle was the darkest pitch black wolf I've ever seen. But it's gentle brown eyes looked familiar…Peter. He looked to be the smallest wolf in the pack. Then there was a dark brown wolf who must be Derek. Next to him was a red-brown wolf with glimmering brown eyes. I knew it was Patty. Beside her was a big muscular red-brown wolf with swirls of gold mixed in it's pelt. Dean. And that left the last wolf, with a golden-creamish pelt and bright blue eyes, in-between Ray and Nick to be Jules. That completed the circle.

I didn't know what to do. Do I run? Can I even hide? I was frozen anyway from the scene before me. How could Lyle hold his own against this many? I glanced over at Victoria who was to the left of the circle, still laying there in pain. Her back was to me. Was she okay?

I glanced at the pack and back at Victoria. They weren't paying attention. I crouched down and made my way over to her, slowly and quietly. Kneeling beside her I looked at the wound. The teeth marks dug deep into her flesh, blood still soaking her beautiful fur.

Her eyes fluttered open as I pressed my palm to the top of her head letting her know I was here. A whimper escaped from her throat, and my heart ached. I couldn't do much to help her at all. But I was willing to try anyway.

I took off my jacket, pressing the cloth to her wound. Her eyes winced shut as another whimper aroused. "Shh, it's okay. I'm going to make it feel better in a sec, just bare with me." I whispered gently.

Lifting her body up softly, I wrapped the arms of the jacket under her soft stomach and tied them together. That was the best I could do. But Victoria relaxed a little as the cold air stopped touching her open flesh.

She looked up at me with thankful eyes and I pressed my hand to her head once more before standing up and walking towards the pack. I could hear Victoria whimpering in protest behind me, but I needed to save them. The pack wanted me, not them.

"Hey!" I yelled out. Instantly 9 pairs of eye turned on me. Lyle let out a growl of protest, wanting me to stay out of it. But I couldn't. "It's not them you want! It's me! So let them go, and I'll join your pack!" I announced. My heart was beating rapidly, waiting.

That was when everything went wrong.

Lyle threw himself at a distracted Ray and locked his jaws on the side of his neck. The most heart-lurching yelp of pain erupted from Ray and I shivered in horror. The other 7 pack members jumped to there leaders aid, going for the kill.

"NO!" I ran into the chaos, putting myself between Lyle pinning Ray down and the 7 rushing pack wolves. As they came at me, I let out the loudest scream I could manage, praying help would come.

**STELLA'S POV**

I ran as fast as I could, Scott right beside me. _Please, let Olivia be okay! PLEASE! _If Ray laid a finger on my best friend, he would pay! I felt myself running faster and soon I was able to hear the sound of growls and barks.

_They're right up ahead! _Scott told me. I pushed on, my ribs were throbbing horribly but I didn't care. The two of us ran through the trees and I realized that we were near the secret tunnel exit. _What was happening? _I ran into the open.

That was when I came to a halt as my heart stopped dead.

Victoria was on the ground and I instantly felt her pain in my shoulder. The healing process had started but she wasn't strong enough to get up. Lyle was pinned on the ground beneath Jules, her golden pelt had a large scratch down he side and I knew Lyle had tried to fight back. And then I saw Olivia.

She stood in-between me and the remaining pack members. Her eyes widened with relief when she saw me and Scott. But something was wrong…where was Ray?

I felt Scott's confusion as well. Only a Natural Born could give a bite to someone. I ran forward and stood beside Olivia. Ray's pack couldn't do anything to her without him here to bite her. They were defenseless. I opened my mind to them.

_Where's Beech? To much of a coward to fight? _I asked. Scott came and stood on the other side of Olivia. _None of your business Yamada. _Jules answered, growling. Suddenly Lyle started wiggling around.

_Don't listen to them! Ray went- _He couldn't finish. Ray was suddenly thrown from out of nowhere into the open, he was in his human form and a gash on his neck made him yell out in pain.

"Useless! You couldn't bring me even bring me _one _of them!?" A voice boomed from the darkness. The voice sounded familiar…

Ray coughed and spit out the blood from his mouth, still on the floor. He let out a desperate laugh. "I got you 3 of them right now." He choked out. "It's not like I could turn them, that's your job!" He protested. _What is he talking about?_

"You're right Ray, that is my job. But your job was to bring me the girl! Not the two pissed off best friends who are already werewolves!" The voice yelled back. The forest went silent. "Ah, Stella and Scott…it's so wonderful to see such determined protectors. But how long can you keep this up? Look around. Your two other pack members are defeated and helpless, your friend at the mercy of 8 wolves. You have lost."

The voice was right. We couldn't win this fight.

"I've tried using the easy way out…when I banned you and your friends from performing at school. But you just can't give up can you? Always have to be the little revolutionist don't you Stella?"

A growl erupted from my throat.

"Immediately, since your first day here, you had enemies. Mudslide Crush, the cheerleaders, and then me of course…your little band made a fool out of me! You took over the entire student body! Turned everyone against me! Well I swore my revenge. I swore that I would take every one of your friends and turn them against you as well, just like you did to me."

My eyes widened. _Who is this? What did I do? _

"So I waited. I planned and waited for the right time to strike. I took the people you hated most and I turned them into werewolves. They wanted you gone just as much as I did. But I needed more to beat you. So I turned 3 more. 3 helpless nobody's that you've never even noticed until now."

I saw Peter, Nick, and Kyle look down. I felt so hurt.

"This whole time, you've been so scared of Ray. I'll admit, at first it was fun to mess with you and make you paranoid but I'm done with the games. These wolves are _mine_. Not Ray's. Ray is _mine_. He isn't a Natural Born. I am. He's a bitten. My puppet."

_What the hell? _I waited confused and shocked at the new information. _Ray was never a Natural Born? He wasn't the one biting people? Then who was? Who is this person who hates me enough to do this?_

Principle Brenigan walked out of the darkness. _WHAT?! BRENIGAN?! _ I stood in utter astonishment as he waltzed confidently into the open a smirk on his face. "That's right. I'm the leader of this pack. And it's time for my revenge!"

Without warning he leaped towards us, turning into the biggest wolf I've ever seen. A bright white pelt just like Ray. But everything was in slow motion and realization set in.

He was aiming at Olivia.

I couldn't push her out of the way, Scott was there. And I couldn't take the hit or else he would get us both…I could only do one thing. The thing I swore to myself I would never do, especially to my friends. I turned towards Olivia and I bit her arm…hard.

A gut wrenching scream filled the night and my stomach churned in sadness. _I'm so sorry Olivia. _I felt the poison in my teeth run into her body, changing every cell it passed. And then I felt something hit us.

_STELLA! _Scott yelled. At first I thought he hit us out of the way. But I realized he was warning me. Brenigan was biting Olivia's other arm. _Scott! Get him off her! _I commanded. With my jaws still clenched in her arm, and the poison transferring, I couldn't do anything.

_I can't with the pack attacking! _Scott replied. Shit! _I got it! _Lyle yelled. From the corner of my eye I saw Brenigan's white pelt disappear and Olivia flinched. I felt her body shaking beneath me, her face contorting in pain.

"Stella…please…STOP!" She gasped before screaming again. My heart ached. I couldn't stop. Once the poison starts I can't let go until it's done. "Stella…" Her voice trailed off, as she started slipping out of consciousness. Her eyes fluttered shut. _Olivia…I'm so sorry. _My eyes started watering and I let out a whimper. Finally the poison was done and I let go quickly. Examining what had happened to her.

Both her arms were wounded horribly, bite marks in both. Blood dripped from the gashes and I whimpered once more. The sight cracked my heart in two. This was all my fault. A tear dropped from my eye. And I looked up.

I saw Brenigan fighting with Lyle. Scott was taking on Patty and Peter. And Victoria had gotten up and joined the fight. She was against Dean and Derek. The other pack members were scattered across the area, wounded and too hurt.

My eyes locked on Brenigan. I looked back down at Olivia. This was all HIS fault. My mind went back to the night before, when Olivia had fallen asleep in my arms. My best friend who was always there for me. And now all that could be at stake.

Uncontrollable anger flooded into my brain. I ran towards him at full speed. _FOR OLIVIA! _I jumped onto his back and locked my jaws on the back of his neck. Brenigan yelped in surprise, and Lyle took that to his advantage. He stood on his two back legs and clamped his jaws on Brnigan's throat.

_Rip Lyle! Kill him! _I screamed. Lyle did so and tore the skin away. Brenigan let out a whimper before falling to the floor, his body limp. Blood oozing out of his neck, I jumped off. He wasn't breathing. The other wolves stopped fighting and froze. Their leader was dead. They were free.

I was surrounded by the pack and bombarded with _I'm sorry's _and _thank you's._ It was over. _Move! _I yelled, breaking through the mob of wolves as I ran to Olivia's side.

_Stella, I'm so sorry. We'll help you get her home. _Derek offered. I looked down ashamed. _This should've never happened. _I claimed. _It isn't your fault. _Peter added. _Yeah if you want to blame anyone, blame us. _Patty assured me. I shook my head.

_HUNTERS!_ Victoria screamed running past us. I saw headlights shinning through the darkness, they were on four wheelers. _RUN! _Dean yelled dashing past us. The wolves scattered, running anywhere to get away.

I started bolting and then I stopped dead. _OLIVIA! _I ran back, the humming engines extremely close. I nosed myself underneath her, trying to get her on my back. _C'mon! _I glanced back, the headlights right over the hill.

Suddenly, Olivia's weight was gone and she was on my back. I saw Scott pushing Olivia onto me. _Okay, she's good! Run! _He exclaimed. I dashed after him, the hunters right behind us. Olivia's weight slowed me down, but I kept pushing forward. I suddenly made a sharp turn, leading the Hunters away from the others.

_Stella! What are you doing?! _Scott yelled. _Whatever happens, don't look back! _I demanded. The Hunters were following me very closely and were catching up. I dared a glance back. Suddenly I tripped over a log, my wrist cracking. I yelped in pain, as I fell forward loosing balance. Olivia slipped off my back. _NO! _

I got up, ignoring my throbbing paw to see the four wheelers stop at Olivia's body. I was about to attack when another body of fur pushed me the other direction. _Go! We can't do anything for her or they'll get us too! _Scott persuaded, nudging me forward. _I can't leave her! _I objected. _We have to! Run! _He shouted, pushing me again.

I followed Scott into the forest, back towards the city, the engines disappearing from sight and ear. _I'm so sorry Olivia…I'm so sorry…_


End file.
